


Twin Paths

by PadmaLily



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Adventure, F/M, Fantasy, Friendship, Romance, Twin AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-23
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:47:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 91,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24882538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PadmaLily/pseuds/PadmaLily
Summary: Byleth struggles with expressing herself, giving her a nickname she dreads: "Ashen Demon". Her twin brother, Bennett, loves his family dearly, but struggles with the lack of normalcy that comes with his family. However, when both are suddenly enrolled as students at the Officers Academy, they become wrapped in a conflict that changes everything. Also on fanfiction.net!
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/My Unit | Byleth, Hilda Valentine Goneril/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 28
Kudos: 64





	1. The Beginning

_The fires flared beneath the three armies' flags billowing in the wind. Knights lifted their lances and ran into the fray while mage held their arms up and chanted._

_The sky was red._

_The people screamed_

_They ran._

_Clashed._

_Screamed._

_Ran._

_Clashed._

_Screamed._

_Ran._

"You cannot be serious. Again?" A young man with teal hair slammed his glass down on the table. "Why do I still have to watch over Byleth? She's old enough to take care of herself."  
The man's middle-aged, blonde-haired father, Jeralt sat off to the side of the table, getting his backpack ready for their next venture out into the market. "Ben, I don't see why it's a big deal to you. She's your sister." he said while indifferently shrugging his shoulders.

Frustration flared up inside of the young boy's heart. "Yeah, Dad. And she's also the reason I haven't made any friends for years." he remarked with bitterness, remembering the glares and quiet whispers he'd see constantly.

Jeralt chuckled lightly, turned to his son, and stroked his beard with a wide smirk. "Oh? Come on, we both know that's not true. What about that one girl who was great at magic?" he asked, hoping that his son would become a little more positive.

Instead, he faced his son's irritated tone. "First of all, she sucked at magic. She just watched me do it. Second of all, that was _one_ girl, and I didn't see her more than a few times." The young man's blue eyes drooped as he looked to the tile floor. "She probably ditched me because she realized I was the brother of the Ashen Demon..." his voice trailed off as he began to swiftly wipe a stack of dishes clean.

"Don't talk about your sister that way." Jeralt told him in a stern tone. "You understand?"

As soon as he heard the words, Bennett dropped the plate he was holding and furiously spun towards him. "No, _you_ need to understand what I've been through! Okay? I take her around like a block of wood and suddenly, no one wants anything to do with me because they see 'The Demon' right next to me. I just wish for once in my life that I don't have to be tied to something she does." he cried out.

Silence ensued for a moment. Bennett's head hung over his shoulders, filled with grief and anger. He loved his sister, but she was different from everyone else. Her face never changed. Her heart never beat. It was almost as if she wasn't even human.

Jeralt stuttered, trying to look for any way to console his child, "K-Kid, please… we both have had a lot of… challenges, I know."

"Oh, you? Challenges?" Bennett snapped. "As if. All you had to do was worry about which bar you were going to go to with your drinking buddies, while I actually did the hard work, stayed at home, and looked after my sister!"

Jeralt tied his sack of belongings together. "My goddess… ugh. Just… fine. You win. Alright? Happy now?" he grumbled.

The son raised his eyebrows and approached his father. "Oh, no. No, no, no. You can't just back out whenever you feel like it. I haven't even gotten to the part where you don't tell us literally anything about ourselves!" Much to the boy's anger, though, Jeralt quickly turned his head away and avoided eye contact with his son. "We still don't know anything about our mom. We don't know why Byleth is… the way that she is. We don't know-"

Suddenly, at that moment, they heard footsteps. Both men became deathly quiet and exchanged shocked looks with wide eyes. A few seconds later, a young woman with hair and eyes much like her brother entered the kitchen.

"B-Byleth! Kid. Come sit with us." Jeralt urged her.

"Y-yes, please come sit." Bennett insisted right along with him.

Without another word, Byleth takes a seat. Her brother and father study her unchanging face, searching for some sign of distress and praying that she didn't hear them speak about her.

"I had a… really weird dream last night. It was about a war." The woman quietly began as she expressionlessly stared at the dinner table.

Bennett and Jeralt exchange confused looks. "A war, huh? Well, that's funny. I don't think there's been a war in over three centuries…" Bennett started, unsure of what else to tell her.

Byleth concentrated on the table. Perhaps it was just a nightmare. However, it all seemed so real… too real, in her mind. Still, she had never seen a war herself, so perhaps that's all it was: A dream.

At that moment, Jeralt suddenly remembered that they had to collect a merchant's payment for the recent job he and his daughter did. He stood up. "Alright, enough chit chat. Ready, Byleth? We have to go pick up the money now."

Bennett looked at her, hesitantly nodded, and gave a sincere but tired smile. "I'll… watch the house. As... always, right?"

"Wait. Can you come with me? Please?" Byleth quickly asked him as she tugged on his glove. Her face continued to have no expressions, but Bennett knew enough to know that her tight grip on him indicated her evident nerves for entering the ignorant world.

"Come on, you'll be fine. See you later." Bennett told her as Jeralt dragged her along. His smile slowly faded as his sister left the house.

* * *

The merchant grins as he sees the man's rugged, old face. "Thank you so much for your hard work dealing with those bandits, Jeralt! It's as they say: you are a master swordsman!" He quickly praised him.

Jeralt closed his eyes and sighed, hoping that the client wouldn't babble for much longer. "Look fella, it's not a big deal. Can you pay up now?"

"A-ah, yes, of course. Let me just get my wallet now…" The merchant started. He shifted his eyes around the market scenery to find something to distract Jeralt. Suddenly, behind her, he recognizes the young woman's blank face. He gasped. "Oh. Oh. My goodness! I recognize you. You… there! That woman! Yes, you, you're the Ashen Demon!" he quickly cried out.

Byleth looked down and hid behind Jeralt, who opened his mouth but the merchant continued. "The Ashen Demon… all the mercenary clients have heard about the young woman who swiftly cuts her enemies down without a hint of emotion on your face! HA! It's almost as if you're the world's best killing machine! You're such a legend to us, you know that? It's a shame that you only take missions with your old man here and there nowadays." he remarked, his voice brimming with excitement.

Byleth remained silent. It's not as if she wanted for her face to be the way that it is. Like everyone else, she felt happiness, confusion, and pain. Pain. The feeling that you're hurt. That's what she feels right now, as people assume her to be a heartless machine. She felt everything- it's just that her face just didn't move. It never has.

Byleth felt her chest sink as she heard the merchant chuckle."Look, I dunno why you quit doing solo missions. You could make tons of dough. Honestly! In fact, lemme do you a favor and call this guy I know right no-"

"No," Byleth quickly told him.

"Wh-what? But you haven't even heard the reward." the merchant stuttered.

"I said no." the woman told him as she stared straight into his eyes.

Without another moment to spare, Byleth stepped away from the market stand. The villager's eyebrows furrowed as he was left utterly baffled.

"Stop babbling about things you don't understand." Jeralt angrily told the baffled vendor. "Now, the money, please.

In the background, a boy and a girl are running down the marketplace. The girl trips and falls, cutting her knee. She begins sobbing while Byleth rushes over to her.

"Ah. Yes, of course. I'll get it. But uh…" the merchant began. He looked around again, figuring out how he would change the topic once more as he shuffled the money carelessly and took some coins away. He hands the money over to Jeralt, who studies the currency closely.

Byleth puts a bandage on the young girl's knee.

"So!" The merchant quickly began. "Has your daughter found a special someone yet?

"That's none of your business." Jeralt angrily grumbled, "You paid me five gold coins short. Can you please do something about this?"

The villager nervously laughs as Byleth walks away from the children in the background. "O-oh, did I? Sorry, you uh… have a good eye."

"Y-you know, that's a lot of money I'm giving ya now! Your wife must be thrilled! So, where is your wife anyway? Back at home?" the merchant remarked.

Jeralt tightened his lips as he looked straight at the merchant. Understanding the cue, the merchant put his head down and rather awkwardly handed the remaining money to the working mercenary.

* * *

As the night sky revealed itself in the quiet but peaceful Remire Village, Jeralt quietly left the small house through the back door and sat on the porch. He already knew what his children would be doing; they had their own routines. After dinner, Ben would coop himself up in his room and obsessively practice magic spells he was planning to perfect. In the meantime, Byleth would be wiping her swords. As Jeralt plopped down on the backyard porch, his son's words echoed in his head: _"You can't just back out whenever you feel like it. I haven't even gotten to the part where you don't tell us literally anything about ourselves!"_

Byleth was never one who liked to pry, but Bennett wanted answers. But Jeralt was afraid to tell him what he wanted to know. How would he even begin to talk about their mother? How would he even begin to explain his time at the all-powerful Church of Seiros? And most importantly… how would he even begin to tell them how he fled the church 18 years ago for their safety? Would he want them to live in fear for the rest of their lives? Or perhaps he'd prefer that they accidentally told someone else, and the Church would possibly bring them back by force?

But what could he have done but run away? After all, ever since the moment she was born, Byleth never cried. She never laughed. She never had a heartbeat. None of this was normal. None of it. Yet the very person who delivered her, the Church's Archbishop Lady Rhea herself, assured him that all was well with the child. Her unsettling claims that she "would take great care of the children" didn't make things any better.

He regretted leaving the place, for there were many people he enjoyed talking to there. He remembered the monastery gatekeeper's cheerful demeanor, the friendly merchants' gossip, and his squire's hearty laugh and corny puns. He even missed his brother-in-law, stiff and stern as he was. In that moment in particular, Jeralt felt a large pang of regret about him: the man never got a chance to meet his own niece and nephew. He wished he could have explained everything to him, in hopes that he would understand. But alas, he wasn't there when it all happened… and he could have never taken a risk with starting a conflict with the Archbishop. Not then, and not ever.

At that moment, he heard the planks of wood behind him creak. He turned around to see his daughter leaning over and setting down a plate with a couple of pastries on top. "Ah, it's you. Thanks." he mumbled while picking up his plate. His eyes widened as he took a bite of one of the pastries. "This is… really good. How did you get this?" he asked her.

"It was in one of the house's cookbooks." she quietly replied.

Jeralt's eyes widened. "Hey. Don't go snooping around other people's things. This isn't a flea market. We're only renting this house until tomorrow morning. Understand?"

Byleth nodded without a word and began looking up at the stars. Jeralt continued to observe her expression, hoping to find a sign that she really did follow what he just said. He could pick up some cues from her, but to Jeralt, his daughter's feelings remained an everlasting enigma unless he asked her directly about them.

After a pause, Jeralt sat up straight and continued looking at her attentively. "So, did you come out here for a reason? Something on your mind?"

Byleth shook her head. "But it seems like something's on your mind."

"You're an attentive one, aren't you? You don't always talk, but you're always watching…" Jeralt lets out a deep sigh and looks back up at the stars. "Kid… do you wish to know the truth? About your mom, about where you were born… and stuff like that?"

"That would be nice." his daughter replied. She remained quiet again.

Jeralt widely grinned and started chuckling. "You're so calm compared to your brother. I'm sure he would have asked me a billion questions right from the start."

Byleth looked down. "I have many questions too… I wouldn't know where to begin..."

Jeralt's laughter stopped as his face filled with regret. "I… I'm sorry, Byla. You both want answers that I should have given you long ago, and I know that."

Byleth didn't move. She would say that it was all okay, but she really did want to know more.

* * *

Usually, whenever Byleth went to sleep, she wasn't alone. Just about every night, Byleth would always somehow land in a dark room with only an illuminated throne in the middle. Seated at the throne at the top of the staircase was a slumbering girl, with bright, green hair, elf-like ears and a mysterious purple robe. Every night Byleth would have this dream… and every night, the girl would never wake up.

_"I want to play." a young Byleth meekly called out. When the slumbering girl didn't wake up, Byleth tread up the stairs and repeated what she said before. "I want to play. Please play with me." She repeatedly called out to her and tried shaking her hand. Nothing worked._

_When Byleth was a teenager, she started to ignore the girl. Instead, she wandered into the darkness and around the room, pressing her hands against the walls as she tried to figure out where else she was going. She only felt elaborate designs on the walls and a few pillars, but she couldn't see any of them. And in the end, she'd always wake up without discovering much more besides the textures of the room's walls._

_Byleth was hoping that her dream about a war would mean that she'd have different dreams going forward. But alas, that simply wasn't the case. That night, the same young girl was sleeping at the top of the throne again. Byleth sighed and sat down at the bottom of the stairs. She began calling out to the girl. "I had a dream yesterday. It was about a war."_

_No response. Byleth hesitantly continued, "Um… I want to know why you're here. Is it because of the war? Do you want something?"_

_Suddenly, the girl's eyes flickered. Then, the girl yawned and stretched her arms. As soon as the small girl opened and focused her large, round, emerald eyes on the woman at the bottom of the stairs, her nose wrinkled. Her mouth twisted into a frown. "Excuse me! Were you just watching me sleep, without a peep?"_

_Byleth quickly shook her head without a word._

_The young girl rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. "You may shake your head at me, but you're right there. Did you know that it is actually quite rude to wake someone from their moment of repose? Hm? Answer me, please. Immediately."_

" _I don't mean to be rude. Sorry." Byleth stopped as the girl floated and flew towards her. The girl indignantly scoffed and pinched Byleth's cheek._

" _The nerve you have, not answering my questions. Please, tell me." she demanded as she folded her arms and floated in place. "Who are you, and what are you doing in my throne room?"_

" _My name is Byleth. I'm dreaming." the woman stated while maintaining eye contact with her._

_The little girl raised an eyebrow and floated away ever so slightly. "Byleth, eh? Ha. I shall never grow accustomed to hearing human names..." she remarked as she flew in circles around Byleth._

" _Who are you?" Byleth asked the mysterious individual as her eyes followed the flying girl._

_The girl stopped moving around in an instant. She looked to the room's ceiling, and her eyes furrowed soon after. "That is… a great question. Hm. I cannot seem to remember."_

_A pause ensued. "Oh. I see." Byleth replied calmly. "I understand. Have you lost your mother?"_

_The girl quickly smacked Byleth on the head. "Excuse me! Do I look like some lost child to you?!"_

" _Well-" the mercenary mumbled as she rubbed her head._

" _WELL, I'm not! And you better get those thoughts out of your head immediately! They are simply not true!" the girl yelled._

* * *

In Fodlan, there were three regions: the Adrestian Empire in the South, the Kingdom of Faerghus in the North, and the Leicester Alliance in the East. While the three regions have had a history of being pitted against each other, the nations have maintained a relative amount of harmony in recent times. Times were so harmonious, in fact, that the three nations' respective heirs all came to simultaneously attend the same military academy, a school run by its professors as well as the Holy Knights of Seiros: the Officers Academy.

In an effort to bring the heirs closer together, the professors sent the three students out on a field trip to the outskirts of Remire Village for a few team-building activities. After the Knights of Seiros left to get some supplies in the evening, the three leaders had gathered around a campfire in silence.

The only woman of the trio, the Adrestian Princess Edelgard, sat straight on a log and twirled her long, snow white hair. Her violet eyes remained alert and scanned the darkness for any potential threats. While she was simply just playing with her hair and the purple bows attached to it, she remained ready to pick up the axe that laid beside her in an instant.

Seated beside her was the crown prince of Faerghus, Dimitri. Hunched over, the young, blonde-haired man was not paying much attention to his surroundings, for he was lost in many thoughts of his own. The bright campfire shone on his tired, sky blue eyes that had gray bags sitting right underneath.

On the other side of the campfire laid Claude, the olive-skinned man with tousled, chocolate brown hair. He was heir to the leading house of the Leicester Alliance, but the fancy title meant little to him. Lying carefreely in the grass with his hands tucked behind his head, he casually reached for a bag of crackers. "Soooo what do you guys wanna do while we're on this fancy field trip here?" he asked the other two nobles.

Dimitri snapped out of his mindset and perked up immediately. "O-oh, well, perhaps we should get to work on the assignment Lady Rhea gave us."

"No need." Edelgard replied dismissively, "Crafting a way to defend Garreg Mach is such a simple exercise. Honestly, I fail to see why we had to take time out of our busy schedules to do this."

"C-come now, Edelgard. I find focusing on yourself and your own people to be an admirable pursuit." Dimitri began in a comforting tone. "However, we are the future leaders of our respective nations. We must learn to work together!" he then announced, his voice singing with pride.

"Hoo boy, look at you go. We applaud you for your classic bravery, sir." Claude mumbled to himself while closing his eyes with a wide smile.

"Again, Dimitri, we can always do that later." Edelgard insisted in an irritated tone. "As far as I am concerned, this is a waste of our time."

"But Edelgard, every experience is valuable!" Dimitri pleaded. "Right, Claude?"

However, Claude wasn't paying attention. Now, instead, he sat up, held his head up high, and placed a cracker on his nose. His green eyes lit up as the cracker remained. "Hey guys, check this out. I can balance this cracker on my nose. See?" He snickered. Suddenly, the cracker fell off and disappeared in the tall grass.

"Were you listening at all? This is no time for games." Edelgard sternly remarked as Claude rummaged through the grass in search of his cracker.

"Jeez, Mom. Fine. I'll stop. Happy now?" Claude grumbled in response.

Edelgard groaned and pressed her palm on her forehead with frustration. Dimitri quickly looked around at the rustling trees in the darkness. "When do you think the Knights of Seiros will return from their trip for supplies? They did not need too many things... "

Claude indifferently shrugged while studying the stars above. "Who knows. Although, I don't find it to be a super sound move that they kind of just left the heirs of the Adrestian Empire, Kingdom of Faerghus, and Leicester Alliance all in one place without any line of defense..."

Edelgard held her head up high and confidently brushed his claims off. "Nonsense. We can defend ourselves." She turned to Dimitri and raised her eyebrows.

Dimitri hesitantly turned away from Edelgard's watchful gaze and to Remire Village. "Well… I would agree, but..." The prince pointed at the cluster of houses. "See that village over there? If bandits attack us here, then they might also target the village there. As the future leaders of Fodlan, we _must_ defend the people."

Suddenly, the trio heard rustling from the nearby bushes and turned in the noise's direction. Edelgard squinted and reached for her weapon in an instant. Dimitri bit his lip and felt the ground for the lance he had nearby. Claude sat up and grabbed his bow.

As soon as the trio noticed shadows emerging from the bushes, Claude leaped up and waved to the other two. "Welp! It was nice knowing you. Time to carry out my masterful plan."

"Wha-" Edelgard started as Claude dashed off, while Dimitri called for Claude to halt in his tracks. The two watched their companion disappear into the shadows.

"What a hero!" Dimitri cried out with admiration and concern.

"What a coward!" Edelgard remarked with exasperation.

The prince and princess looked at each other. Dimitri frowned at Edelgard, baffled. "Coward? He ran off as a decoy to save us all." Dimitri remarked, "Not that we should let him, but-"

Edelgard scoffed at him. "Oh, when will you learn? He deserted us! Now, come! After him!"

Without a moment to waste, the princess took Dimitri's hand and sprinted out of the camp. While a couple of thieves attempted to leap at the two, Edelgard and Dimitri had their weapons ready to ward their enemies off long enough for them to escape.

"You know, the Kingdom will fall if you cannot see the truth behind someone's words," Edelgard commented during the sprint.

Panting, Dimitri quickly replied, "Is that… is that so? Well... if you doubt everyone you meet, then you'll be in just as terrible of a predicament, no?"

Up ahead, Claude continued running when he heard the other two's voices behind him. He bit his lip as soon as he noticed the thieves were following him, Edelgard, and Dimitri. "Aw, man. They were supposed to stay there while I went scot-free." He shrugged as he leaped over a stump. "Well, I guess that's on me. I gotta come up with better plans..." he told himself.

"I dreamt about that girl again." Byleth remarked to her brother as he drank a cup of tea.

"Yeah yeah, the sleeping one. You always see her, sitting there." Bennett casually replied.

"But… last night, she woke up and spoke to me." she told him.

Bennett furrowed his eyebrows and leaned back. After a moment, he indifferently shrugged. "Dreams are dreams. I wouldn't worry too much about your imaginary friend, alright?"

Byleth opened her mouth to respond when the duo's father approached them. "Kids, we gotta cut the chit chat and head out. Are you all packed up and ready to go?"

The young man leaned back in his chair and smacked the metal armor on his forearm. "As ready as I'll ever be, Chief."

Jeralt smirked as he rushed to get his bag. "Okay. Let's get out in 5 minutes, then. The crew's already waiting outside, and I-"

Suddenly, the family heard frantic knocking on the door. The twins exchanged looks as their father, confused, rushed to get the door. He didn't remember inviting anyone. When the man opened the door, he saw what he had never expected to see: three nobles standing side-by-side and waiting for his help. In front of them was one of Jeralt's mercenary companions..

"What… what's going on, bud?" Jeralt inquired, baffled at the scene.

* * *

**Hi everyone! Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy my story! Feel free to read, like, or review this fanfic, and feedback is always greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!**


	2. New Friends

The mercenary quickly bowed to the nobles. "Jeralt will speak to you now." All three of them stopped moving at that moment and exchanged looks. The name immediately rang a bell for all three of them.

Jeralt tightened his lips and stepped forward towards the stunned trio. "You need something? My crew and I were just about ready to head out of this place, and we've got another client waiting." he asked, with a hint of irritation at the hold-up.

Dimitri quickly bowed. "Please, forgive us. We wouldn't bother you if this wasn't an emergency. But we are being pursued by a group of bandits and would greatly benefit from having the aid of your team. Would you be so kind as to help us?"

Another one of Jeralt's mercenaries rushed up to the group, rushing out from the darkness. "Jeralt! Sir! Bandits are surrounding Remire Village as we speak!"

Jeralt's eyes widened. "That quickly?" He immediately jumped up and called out, "Team! We gotta move!"

A group of mercenaries emerged from the house next door and rushed towards him with their weapons in hand. Byleth and Bennett slowly approached him and exchanged looks.

Edelgard jolted her head to Dimitri. "We could've handled them ourselves." she quickly insisted, "I fail to see why you had to go and ask for help. We don't know any of these people."

"It does not hurt to get help from others, Edelgard." Dimitri whispered back. Edelgard indignantly folded her arms in silence as Jeralt approached them.

"Alright, we'll take care of this. You're free to go." Jeralt told them.

Claude leaned back with a smirk on his face. "Sweet, thanks!"

He began to waltz away until Edelgard grabbed the collar of his uniform and gave him a stern glare. "Oh, you're not running away from this. We can all help, including you."

Claude nervously laughed. "You sure are being a little feisty right now, aren't ya!"

"Edelgard's right, Claude." Dimitri looked to Jeralt and gave him a polite smile. "Sir, if it's okay with you, we'd love to tag along. We do have a little experience." he said while holding up his lance.

"Ah, well…" the middle-aged man started with uncertainty. After looking around, he walked up to his children and snapped to get their attention. "Hey. Can the two of you take that small group of nobles up to the north of town, by the forests? My team and I can handle the other parts, but they want to help."

Bennett's eyes lit up. He finally had a chance to make friends with people his own age. "Sure, we can take care of it." he replied with a calm and collected tone.

As Jeralt walked away, Bennett eagerly turned towards his sister, his face filled with glee. "This is my chance to show off my skills to some higher-ups!"

Byleth nodded while removing a folded-up map from her pocket. "I'll be rooting for you."

* * *

"So! Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude. Got it!' Bennett exclaimed with a friendly smile on his face. Behind him, Byleth scanned the field. Her eyes went from thief to thief, analyzing each person's build. From her experience, the larger foes were often physically stronger but weaker to magic, while the enemies who seemed more frail were more likely to wield magic… and be weaker to physical attacks from weapons such as lances and axes. But there was a forest nearby which could help for cover...

She stood up and raced to her brother. "You and Claude need to stay in and attack from the forest. Dimitri, Edelgard, and I will stay closer by and more in the open. If we can confuse the enemy and pull them all towards that enemy, we should be able to take out most of them. You can tell them that." she quietly whispered.

Suddenly, Claude, Dimitri, and Edelgard leaned in. Byleth hesitantly hid behind her brother, peeking over his shoulder. Frustrated at the scene she was making, Bennett nervously laughed as he dragged his sister out in the open. "Sorry, uh… my sister doesn't like talking to people much."

"No worries. You were a little quiet, but we heard you." Dimitri gently replied.

"But would you look at that! A fellow tactician! You and I should compare notes sometime." Claude remarked while winking at Byleth, who avoided eye contact.

Edelgard, on the other hand, remained silent. Her gaze remained fixed on the twins. They shared little to no resemblance to Jeralt, but they were clearly related to each other. Still, they had to be his children, since there was no one else nearly as young as them in the mercenary band… unless they were just that skilled?

* * *

The thieves in that area were stunned to see the three nobles return with assistance… from only two young adults. Their leader, Kostas, found the whole situation infuriating and hilarious at the time. Two extra soldiers? Was this a joke? He shoved one of his nearby comrades. "Go take care of them."

"Er… but sir-"

Kostas bared his teeth. "Idiot! All we have to do is kill three prissy nobles! And you're backing out because of two kids?"

Another thief emerged from the south, sprinting towards them. "S-sir, more mercenaries in the South! Perhaps we really should leave."

Kostas angrily slapped the two of them. "Are you really thieves?! Honestly! We're being paid so much for this job, and you just want to run away because of a few mercenaries?! Get your dumb selves over there and do what you're supposed to!"

"R-right away, sir.." the thief mumbled as he wandered off.

Dimitri and Edelgard held their own on the front lines, but, more than that, they noticed how swiftly Byleth dealt with the thieves in front of her. Edelgard watched intensely as Byleth remained light on her feet. She constantly danced away from her enemies with the occasional parry, bouncing to the left, right, and up and down… only to come in with one powerful slash in the end. All of the movements came to her with ease as more of them approached her, the later ones coming with more hesitation and fear. Throughout the entire thing, Byleth's face did not change. Edelgard admired her focus, while Dimitri was stunned by her ruthlessness.

Byleth's presence reminded him of someone from the Tragedy of Duscur. That day, his parents and many of his dear friends were murdered right before his very eyes. And he remembered the perpetrators' faces there. The people who killed them never cared- they were gleefully carrying out their orders. But no, Byleth did not remind him of those people… she reminded him of their stone cold commander: The Flame Emperor. The person who apathetically wandered past the countless dead bodies at the scene. The person who murdered his own stepmother without a second thought in front of his very eyes. The person whose voice was distorted, still cold and unfeeling.

The masked individual's only words echoed in his head as he watched Byleth pass by him without so much as a glance. "You will suffer… just like everyone else here." Was Byleth just like them? Could Byleth even be the one behind the mask? Dimitri violently shook his head. No, the Flame Emperor he saw back then seemed far older than Byleth is now… _Stop thinking that way about Byleth, Dimitri._ He told himself. _Byleth is a valued ally. You have to tell yourself that._

As Edelgard swung her axe, her eyes kept falling back to observing Byleth herself. She had to admit that Byleth was a skilled swordsman- that much was certain. And during a time when the Empire's military was beginning to decline while Edelgard was on the cusp of ascending to the throne, she _needed_ allies. But as she noticed Dimitri watching Byleth as well, she thought to herself, _But perhaps Byleth is the one they're ALL watching. Therefore, it may be an equally grand opportunity to sway someone whose work isn't nearly as recognized as much…_ Suddenly, the princess felt a gust of wind from the forest. Behind her, Bennett and Claude were fighting some thieves that had approached the team from behind. As Claude used the branches to pull himself up and shoot arrows from above, the young man beside him casted powerful wind magic that slammed his enemies against the tree trunks in the forest. It was obvious to her by his wide gestures that he lacked proper training. Still, his magical abilities were not to be overlooked, especially since the Empire had a tendency to boast powerful mages in their military. "Your form is quite impressive! What else can you do?" she called out to him with a faint smile.

Bennett's eyes lit up immediately. As someone who grew up mainly surrounded by mercenaries who prided themselves on more physical methods of combat, he rarely got the chance to show off anything he had learned to anyone… well, except to Byleth. Byleth always asked him about his spells, but he couldn't tell if her quiet words,"That's exciting." were sarcastic. He also couldn't tell whether her daily visits during practice were out of interest, pity... or maybe she just wanted an excuse to look around his space for his secret snack stash.

Claude closely watched Bennett, who, with his eyes on Edelgard, skipped out of his hiding space and cast his favorite spell, Thoron, into the distance… at Dimitri. In an instant, Byleth tackled the prince to the ground as the bright beam flew above them. Edelgard covered her mouth and slowly turned to the mage, whose cheeks turned bright red.

After making sure there were no enemies left in the vicinity, Claude leaped to the ground from the branch he had climbed upon. As he passed Bennet by without so much as a glance and watched Edelgard pull Dimitri and Byleth up, he made a mental note to himself about him: _A little too eager for attention._ Still, he finally turned to give him the usual carefree smile he gives just about everyone. "Nicely done."

The five of them scanned the area for any remaining bandits, while none were to be found. But in the shadows was Kostas, waiting for his chance to strike. When Edelgard finally approached the tree, he sneaked around the trunk. He noticed the princess's white glove tightly gripping her axe. Now was the time to act.

Byleth was about to sheathe her sword when she noticed a dark figure behind the tree Edelgard was leaning on. Byleth rushed in to save her. Without another warning, the princess felt a strong pull on her axe arm. She fell to the floor but was recklessly shoved away by Byleth, who only had time to briefly look up at the axe heading straight for her face.

Byleth closed her eyes. She braced for the impact… but it never came. When she opened her eyes again, she looked around to see that she wasn't in the forest anymore. Instead, she was in the throne room from her dreams.

" _What were you thinking?!_ " The little girl's voice pierced Byleth's ears.

Byleth rubbed her eyes. "It's you again. … Am I dead now?"

" _Ugh, is that all you have to say to me? You nearly killed us both with that little stunt of yours!"_ the girl scoffed. She stood up from her seat, attempting to have her petite self appear dominating.

"But I had to save her."

" _So you waltz in all, high and mighty, thinking that you're invincible?! Well, you aren't!_ And _you should be happy that I saved your sorry self from that flying axe. If it weren't for me, you'd be dead right now. D-E-A-D DEAD!_ " she yelled.

After a pause to think, Byleth quickly bowed. "You saved me… I'm not sure how you managed it, but thank you."

" _There it is! Showing gratitude is not so hard now, is it?_ " Pleased, the small girl beamed at her from her throne. " _Oh, fine… I suppose it's up to me to guide you now, is that not the case? Yes, yes it is..._ "

The girl began floating in the air again. With one snap of the fingers, a clock appeared before her. She smiled with pride and leaned back in her throne while Byleth walked up the stairs to see it for herself. The glowing clock made a mint reflection off of Byleth's bangs and eyes.

"What did you just do?" Byleth asked as her eyes remained glued to it.

" _Curious now, aren't you? Well! While you were out fighting, I felt a sudden urge in myself to find a safeguard to prevent any harm from coming to you_. _And before I knew it… poof! Voila. This clock showed up. I stopped time when you were in the most danger, and now we're here. But if I could stop it, then maybe I can..."_ the girl began. Slowly, she started to turn back the hands of the clock.

As they went backwards, the scene of the throne room completely changed to the forest right by Remire Village. Everyone was moving backwards. Kostas went back around and behind the tree he came from, and Edelgard walked away from the tree trunk she was near. "Stop." Byleth stated.

The girl looked to Byleth, her eyes as wide as dishes. " _Is something wrong?_ "

Byleth firmly nodded. "I think this is good enough."

" _Ah, yes. You can protect yourself from this point onwards, I imagine. Very well. Brace yourself._ "

The girl and the clock poofed from the scene, and Byleth braced herself. After she felt time reverse and herself return to her body, she sprinted towards Edelgard and readied herself to knock Kostas away. Edelgard felt a shock through her body. Her eyes widen as she falls back against the tree she had just come from. This time, though, Byleth knew to push the princess away and kick Kostas out from the shadows. She knocked the weapon out of his hand, leaving the thief overwhelmed and defenseless. Edelgard was stunned.

They then all heard footsteps. Jeralt and his crew arrived, their lances in hand. Jeralt's eyes widened as he looked around. "You took care of them here, huh! Nice work." he remarked.

Before anyone else could move, however, they heard a booming voice: "STOP! In the name of the Church of Seiros!"

Sweat rolled down Jeralt's cheek. _Crap, I should've known they were coming. We have to run! But where to?!_ He looked around wide-eyed while his oblivious children looked at him.

"Uh… Dad? You okay?" Bennett asked him.

Jeralt scrambled towards the twins and pulled them aside. He frantically whispered. "Okay. Listen, you two. What you're going to have to do is before those guys come here-"

The twins turned their heads to the knights riding their horses towards them. Byleth pointed to them. "I think you're too late."

Jeralt sighed in resignation as the lead knight, a middle-aged man, began speaking. "The Knights of Seiros are here! And we finally found you! We were so worried!"

"Alois! You've found us!" Dimitri called out.

Alois leaped down from his horse and rushed over to him. "Why, of course we did! It's our duty to protect the Officer Academy's students from all harm!" He turned to one of his comrades, telling them to round up any remaining thieves in the area. Afterwards, he turned his attention to the other mercenaries around. "Did those fellows over there help you?"

Dimitri nodded. "They did."

"Ah, good old mercenaries!" Alois chuckled and looked over to them. He continued laughing until he saw Jeralt. His wide smile turned to a wide gape. Without another moment to waste, he rushed over to him. "Captain Jeralt? Is that really you?! But I thought you were dead!"

"Why, this isn't Jeralt, this is… uh…"

Alois guffawed. "Captain, you're not fooling me! Sure, you've got a ton of wrinkles on your face, but… hoo boy, time hasn't been kind to you, my friend." he awkwardly began, "A-ah, but! No matter how old you get, I would NEVER forget my old pal!"

Jeralt closed his eyes and let out a tired sigh. "I, uh… you know, thanks, Alois. But drop that captain nonsense, will ya? I'm not Captain anymore. I haven't been for nearly two decades. Now, I'm just a simple mercenary. One who has work to do, now, so, goodbye."

Alois looked past him to see the twins. He rushed over to them. "Are… are you the Captain's children?! WOW! You've grown up so much since I last saw you! Which was uh… when you were babies." His voice began quivering. "Y-you both… look so much like your mother… may she rest in peace. UNLESS! If I thought Jeralt was dead, then maybe she is also-" He looked at Jeralt, who closed his eyes and shook his head.

Alois let out a big sigh. "Er… right. Well! It's uh, great to meet you both." He straightened himself up. "Captain, I missed you. … But my aim keeps getting better, I see! HA!"

"There you go again, Alois…" Jeralt grumbled. "You're gonna ask me to come back to the monastery, aren't you?"

"Right as ever, Captain! Lady Rhea and Seteth will be so happy to see you! Especially Seteth!" He stroked the sides of his brown mustache and widely grinned. "It just dawned on me. … Get it?"

Byleth gazed at the bright sunrise while her brother nervously laughed.

"You've never met your uncle, have you? Or your cousin! C'mon, you should come with!" Alois eagerly exclaimed. He walked back to his cohort and announced that they would be leaving soon. He was overjoyed to see his old Captain return. And he had so many questions for him... but no, those should be saved for another time.

Stunned, Bennett slowly nodded. He looked to his sister, feeling a mixture of excitement and confusion. He had never met any family before, so to be suddenly taken on a whim was… great, but also frustrating. If it was that easy to visit his family, then why hadn't they done so before?

The moment Dimitri helped Edelgard off of the ground, the princess carried herself over to Byleth. When Byleth turned around, Edelgard warmly smiled and nodded. "Thank you. You saved my life back there."

Without saying a word, Byleth nodded and strolled away. Irritated at her unsociable nature, Bennett nervously laughed towards Edelgard and followed his sister to chastise her.

Edelgard then rushed over to her two companions. "Er… When that woman saved me, did you… did you feel something?" she whispered, her eyes remaining wide.

Claude and Dimitri exchanged confused looks. "Feel what?" Claude asked. His eyes lit up. "Oh, I get it. Why yes, Princess, I'm sure it's normal to become a little enamored with your lil'

rescuer. Eh? You may as well fess up."

Edelgard's cheeks turned bright red. "That was NOT what I was talking about. N-nor, did I feel anything remotely similar!" Realizing that her two comrades didn't feel the same sensation, she collected herself. In a calm voice, she told them, "Nothing. It's NOTHING to worry about."

Claude indifferently shrugged and walked away, but Dimitri stayed, fretful. "Edelgard… you've been working too hard. And you almost got attacked just now! You should sit down. Do you need help taking a seat? If you wish it, I can call for Alois to hold everyone off until-"

"No." Edelgard blurted out. She needed to know if the others had felt the same sensation, but she hated showing weakness to others, especially to Dimitri and Claude. It was true that Dimitri was caring while Claude seemed more casual, but a rival was a rival. And she had to come out on top. Once she glanced to see Dimitri's eyebrows furrowed with concern, she mumbled, "I'm fine. But thanks." and left. As she took her mind off of him, she marched over to the mercenary crew and continued to think about the shock she felt. Edelgard had overworked herself numerous times, but she knew it wasn't that. No, something else happened when Byleth saved her.

As the knights were packing up and getting ready to head off, Bennett continued ranting at Byleth… who was tuning him out completely. Her eyes instead closely followed Edelgard, Dimitri, and Claude. Just who were they exactly?

A voice abruptly entered her head." _Nicely done!_ _Perhaps we shall get along after all. We just might even become friends!_ " It was the girl from her dreams.

"Friends…" Byleth repeated. She was confused about who the girl was exactly, but she couldn't help but feel grateful that someone would stay by her side. She looked down, her mind filled with excitement.

Bennett tilted his head. "Huh?"

"I think I might make a friend." Byleth responded, with her bland tone unrevealing of the level of joy she felt within herself.

Bennett stopped and looked at her in partial disbelief. "Didn't you hear anything I just told you? Summary: You won't make friends with that attitude of yours! … Who is it, anyway?"

"No. It's the girl I dreamed of." his twin quickly responded, "Remember?"

"Oh..." he replied while rolling his eyes. "So, uh… why don't we go talk to the _non_ -imaginary fellows? Like Dad. C'mon."

" _Excuse me?! How rude your brother is! If I were you, I'd smack him on the head. Go do something!_ " the girl in Byleth's head angrily squeaked.

"Ben, she was real." Byleth quietly protested.

"Yeah, yeah. I hear ya." he replied dismissively as he dragged her away.

In the background, Dimitri heard the whole thing and watched Bennett drag her off. He couldn't help but feel bad for Byleth. He may not have completely figured her out, but she was willing to put her own life on the line to save Edelgard's life and protect him before that.

After having heard Byleth speak, her tone remaining ever unchanging but her words full of hope, he surmised that she was lonely. Not alone, but lonely. And as someone who was constantly plagued by his own unpleasant thoughts, he could understand what it felt like to be lonely himself, even when you're surrounded by a group of friends.

...

It was a terrible feeling.

* * *

Behind them, Claude and Edelgard were huddled and fervently whispering to each other.

"Wasn't he involved with the Church somehow? That's what I heard." he whispered to the princess.

Edelgard quickly nodded. "Jeralt Reus Eisner, the former Captain of the Knights of Seiros. They say he had a lovely position, but he then left one day without a trace. I thought he was killed!" she whispered back, her tone brimming with curiosity. "Does that mean he… ran away?"

"Well, surely there must be a good story behind that. Do we know when he left?" Claude told her.

"I hear that he disappeared right after…"

Besides them was Dimitri, who was worriedly looking ahead at the family in front. He noticed Bennett's bitter expression. "Er… Claude, Edelgard. I think your gossip is..."

Before Dimitri finished, he heard Bennett speak to his father with an indignant tone. "I know you've looked after us, and that's a really hard job to do on your own. Still, why do you keep hiding things from us? Is there any great reason you can't say much?"

"Please don't start. It's the morning…" Byleth mumbled.

Bennett paused for a moment. "Whatever. This isn't worth my time." He paced away from his family and towards the nobles in the back.

"Ben, I'm sorry. We'll talk about it at the Monastery." Jeralt nervously called back to him.

Dimitri had also heard of the legends of Jeralt back at the monastery. However, he had his own reasons for being familiar with Jeralt; the Eisner family was from Faerghus, so he already knew the family Jeralt had come from. And then there was Byleth, the girl with few companions… he wished to be one of her first, if that was acceptable to her. Determined to try having a word with them, he rushed past Bennett and moved ahead to catch up with Jeralt.

"Hey! What brings you to this part of the group?" Claude asked with his typical smirk on his face.

"Just wanted to show off some more magic to Edelgard! If that's alright with you, ma'am?" he cheerfully spoke.

Edelgard raised her eyebrow. "I recall speaking to you about it earlier. I'd be happy to continue that conversation, if you wish the same."

Watching Bennett eagerly whip out a flame in his hand with a smile on his face, she couldn't help but feel that she might be able to convince him to join the Empire's ranks very soon. He had the potential. He clearly wanted to show off and become someone in life... which, given her power as Imperial princess, would not have been a troublesome wish to grant. But still… her path would not be an easy one, and not everyone would be eager to walk it with her. So, she'd hold off on the request-for now. Given the fact that his family was being pulled to Church, it would be too soon to act regardless.

Jeralt and Byleth were speaking to each other in low voices. Suddenly, Byleth stopped talking when she saw Dimitri approach. She walked in step behind Jeralt, who quickly turned to Dimitri. "Oh, it's you, Your Highness. What brings you here?"

"I wanted to thank you and your daughter for your roles in helping us today." Dimitri peeked over Jeralt to give Byleth a warm smile, but she continued to avoid eye contact with him. "If there's anything I can do to repay the favor, I do hope that you'll tell me."

Jeralt faintly smiled. "Thanks. Appreciate that."

"May I speak with you for some time?" Dimitri asked him.

When Jeralt nodded, the prince quickly continued. "I… noticed your last name. You're from the Eisner family, aren't you?" He had heard of the Eisner noble household. A handful of powerful mages had come from that house over the years.

"Haven't seen 'em in over 30 years." Jeralt mumbled.

The young prince looked away with sadness and sympathy. "I… see. I, er... apologize for prying, but the reason that things didn't work out in part had to do with your lack of the Crest of Macuil, isn't it?"

"Mostly that, yeah."

"I'm… sorry. Families disowning their children due to their lacking Crests is unfortunately all too common these days." Dimitri looks down as he trudged on the worn down path. "The Church calls Crests the 'Gifts of the Goddess', but these gifts have led us to tear families apart and overlook the most capable individuals, such as yourself..."

Dimitri's words were suddenly met with the mercenary's hearty laugh. "Ha! I appreciate the thought. ... My son takes after them when it comes to all of that magic nonsense, but I never found out whether he had their Crest. I didn't want my kids to get all concerned about that stuff like my family was."

"I hope to change Faerghus's situation." Dimitri firmly told him with conviction. "You can count on that much."

"I don't think that your Uncle's current attitude gives you a super great head start at that. I mean, no offense, but his reign has probably put Faerghus worse off than the Alliance and Empire by this point." Jeralt told him.

Dimitri tightened his mouth. "Yes, his-er, let's call it negligence-is quite unfortunate. But I hope to make a change."

"Eh, everyone wants change. But actually making that change takes hard work." The mercenary shrugged. "But what do I know? I'm just a travelin' mercenary these days."

Dimitri once again peeked past Jeralt over to Byleth. Much to his inner delight, the young woman was now looking at him. When she realized that they had made contact, her eyes darted away from him and to the ground.

"No need to keep looking over me to talk to her" Jeralt told him. He nudged his daughter. "Kid. You got company here."

"O-oh, okay." Byleth replied.

Dimitri circled around to the other side of Byleth. and held up his hand with a smile. "I've talked to your brother a little, but I haven't properly introduced myself to you, have I? My name is Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince of Faerghus."

"Byleth Sitri Eisner, Your Highness."

"A lovely name! But there's no need for formalities- call me Dimitri." the prince told her with a cheery tone and warm smile. "Won't this be your first time at the monastery? If you like, I'd be happy to show you around."

Byleth nodded. "Thank you. I'll let you know."

"Are you looking forward to going there?" Dimitri asked her.

Byleth looked down thoughtfully. "A little. I hear that my uncle is there."

"Oh, of course! You're Seteth's niece! I completely forgot that part." he said.

The young mercenary jerked her head up. "Do you know him?"

"Of course. He oversees everything at the monastery. He's a little strict, to say the least…" Dimitri began. When he looked back at her, though, he quickly added, "But he means well! Of course, things can be unpredictable, but I am certain you two shall get along."

As he watched Dimitri and Edelgard interacting with the twins, Claude just stood aside. He knew that Dimitri and Edelgard needed allies for their respective lands. However, his own goal extended far beyond the Alliance. To him, his own world was like a chessboard. He had his parents as the king and queen in the back, with his father stuck in his place, while his powerful mother remained one of the most powerful, mobile forces he had ever met. His extended family back home were bishops and rooks, each playing their own significance that he'd have to keep track of. But everyone else? Pawns. All pawns, with Claude watching the whole scene from above. Now, he had two more pawns to play: the twins. For now, they were just like everyone else… but if they got far enough in his book, could they be promoted to something else?

* * *

**Hi everyone! Thank you for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed it, and feedback is always greatly appreciated. :)**


	3. Arrival at Garreg Mach

Byleth continued to listen to Dimitri attentively, but she lacked many responses. Besides a few words, she mostly just stared at him in return. She was grateful for his company, but no one really came up to her for conversation unless they needed something. Perhaps he wanted a favor from her later.

"I'm sure you're going to love it at Garreg Mach. I've gone there since I was a child. Except, now I'm a student there, actually!" Dimitri told her.

Byleth nodded without saying a word, as she mentally noted that the monastery is clearly an important place to him.

After some silence, Dimitri cheerily continued, "Have I ever told you about the three houses in the academy? There are three main classes here: The Black Eagles, the Blue Lions, and the Golden Deer. I'm actually the class leader of the Blue Lions! Most of our students are from Faerghus. Edelgard is the leader for Black Eagles, which is for students of the Adrestian Empire. Then there's Claude. He's the leader of the Golden Deer, which is for students of the Leicester Alliance!"

Byleth silently nodded once more.

Dimitri looked to the ground. _Think Dimitri, think! Maybe something personal would help._ With a nervous smile, he continued speaking, "Er… My father graduated from the Academy himself, actually! Both of my parents went there, actually! Except, my mother was in the Black Eagles, and he in the Blue Lions, so I doubt that they ever ran into each other there..."

Byleth nodded, again without saying a word.

A sweat drop streamed down his cheek as an awkward silence ensued. "So… are you fascinated by the monastery? Maybe you should wait until you get inside. There's more to see!" he told her with a warm smile.

"Um… I will." Byleth replied with hesitation.

Suddenly, the girl in her head giggled. " _You really have no words to say to anyone, do you?_ "

 _There's no need for words. I analyzed every word he said. If he needs a favor about this later, I can do it._ Byleth thought to herself.

" _Wha- a favor?! What would be there for you to analyze?! That was just a simple conversation about the monastery! Can't you see he's just trying to be friends?_ " the girl asked her.

… _That's not how it works with me._

" _What do you mean, 'that's not how it works with you?_ "

Byleth looked to the ground. _People don't want to be friends with me._

" _Uh, are you blind? He does! But probably not now, since YOU show no interest._ "

Dimitri tilted his head, focusing on the woman beside him. "Is… something wrong? I do not mean to intrude, but you seem to be deep in thought."

As a few tree shadows went by her face, Byleth turned her attention to the massive building in front of her. The front entrance itself was stories high, but the walls behind it were far higher, being stacked with thousands of bricks. Her eyes continued scanning the area until she heard the prince.

"Ah! Of course! Yes, we're here!" he exclaimed, "I'm sure you'll love it."

The little girl gasped. " _He talked to you again! Go! Now's your chance. Do something to redeem yourself! Like… oh! Give him a compliment or something!_ " she quickly insisted.

Byleth suddenly panicked. She looked around."Uh... I just… really admire those castle… walls." she mumbled.

"Ah, yes! It is quite magnificent, isn't it?" he cheerily remarked, "This building is 995 years old. Can you believe it's almost been an entire millennium since the creation of this place? I can hardly imagine the thought."

" _Are you daft?! No! What I meant was, say something about him! Say, 'I like your eyes'! Your hair! SOMETHING!_ "

Byleth bit her lip. Thoughts raced inside her head. "I like your hair. " she blurted out.

" _Didn't have to be so sudden, but-_ "

Dimitri slowly turned towards her. "Sorry?"

"It reminds me of noodles." Byleth quickly added.

An awkward silence ensued within the surrounding area. Jeralt avoided eye contact. Bennett buried his face in his hands while grumbling to himself. Edelgard raised an eyebrow, while Claude just began snickering. Claude then nudged Edelgard. "I _told_ you his hair looks like pasta."

"And I told you that _you_ seemed to lack any sort of self-awareness. It seems that I am on the nose once again." she retorted.

"Oh, um… I _like_ spaghetti, just to be clear." Byleth told him in a low voice.

Dimitri sympathetically smiled and scratched his head.. "Er… yes! Of course! I appreciate the compliment."

At that moment, the prince felt a tap on his shoulder and heard Edelgard's voice. "Dimitri, we should be off now." As short as she was, her stern expression gave her all the authority she needed.

Dimitri turned to Byleth. "It seems that I have to go… but we should chat later, if that is acceptable to you." Without another moment to spare, he bowed and headed down the hall with Claude.

Byleth nodded. "Th-thanks. You too." she hesitantly called out to him.

" _Why? Why? Out of all the things you could possibly say, why?_ " the little girl asked.

 _I was hungry._ The mercenary thought to herself.

The little girl scoffed at her.

Byleth looked off to the side, contemplating for a moment. _Can I time travel back?_

" _To do what?! To tell him that his cape reminds you of a napkin? Absolutely not! Besides, my clock should be used for emergencies only. I am quite certain that we won't be able to use it all the time._ "

Suddenly, they heard Edelgard clear her throat. When Byleth turned to look at her, she saw the princess, who was observing her very closely. "Miss Byleth, I want to thank you again for saving me. Your skill is beyond question."

"No problem." Byleth quietly replied.

"Might I... ask how you knew that there was a thief hiding behind that tree? I must confess that even I was blatantly unaware of my own... grave mistake." The princess clenched her fist. "But you acted as if you were able to read his mind! It was quite extraordinary. Was there anything... special you did to make that happen?"

Byleth paused for a minute. A rush of anxiety came over her. Still, she continued to respond as normal: "No. I just have experience."

Edelgard lightly smiled. "I see. Well, you're very impressive. I hope to see you around more often." She turned to Bennett. "Take care of yourself!"

With a wide grin, Bennett quickly waved back. "I hope I can talk to you again soon!"

As Edelgard walked off, Byleth continued to stare at her. _Do people know I time traveled?_ Byleth asked the girl in her head.

" _They shouldn't… and she shouldn't know either! But it seems like she was unsure of the situation, so it's probably nothing to worry about. Probably…_ " the girl replied, baffled.

Byleth turned her head and looked down at the ground. _What's your name?_

" _Hmmm… that, is a great question! I have no idea, frankly. Perhaps we can come up with something later. Now, go and stop speaking to me! You're with other people here._ "

Byleth looked up to see her brother waving at her with more than a hint of annoyance, he began shaking his head. "Hey, stop staring off into space. Can't you at least act like you're paying attention? And what was that conversation you were having with Dimitri? 'It reminds you of noodles?' Unbelievable. He probably thinks that that was a terrible conversation."

* * *

"That was a terrible conversation... " Dimitri sadly remarked as he walked alongside Claude, who had his arms stretched and folded behind his head.

"Eh, you never know what other people are thinking. Maybe that was her way of being funny." Claude replied.

"No, I mean, _I'm_ terrible. I talked her ear off. She must have a terrible impression of me by this point. I do hope that I can fix it." he said with an earnest tone.

"Fix it, you say? Welp, good thing your pal has a solution!" Claude told him with a grin, "I'll tell you what your problem is."

The young prince raised his eyebrows. "What is it?"

"You're way too nice and courteous to people. Honestly, it gets kind of boring after a while."

"But... Faerghus always prides itself on-"

"On chivalry and virtue and knighthood and all that jazz- yeah yeah, I hear you. But that's why you're so run-of-the-mill! If you really want people of all kinds to come up to you, then you gotta shake things up a bit."

The prince turned away to think for a second. He began to agree, slowly nodding. "I see… er, well, how do I 'shake things up'?"

"Simple. You gotta be a little more… unpredictable. So for you, that means… oh, I got it. Being a bad boy!" Claude exclaimed.

The prince stopped nodding. "... A what?"

"A bad boy! You know, be tough and mean!" Claude jokingly punched Dimitri in the shoulder, "Push people away! Scream 'Go away!' whenever someone wants to talk to you. Take it from me. When you get mysterious, everyone's going to want to know your secrets. In fact, I have the perfect accessory to help you out with that."

Claude dug his hand in his pocket. Much to Dimitri's surprise, he pulled out an eyepatch from his pocket. Without a moment to waste, he strapped it on the baffled prince's face and pulled him to a pond. Dimitri was startled by his reflection in the water.

"Er… th-thanks, Claude," he stuttered, "But no thanks. This whole idea just isn't for me. The prince of Faerghus must remain approachable at all times, and I feel that this may… give off the wrong idea."

"Eh, figures." The young man shrugged indifferently. "Ah, well. Let me know if you ever want this back, 'kay?"

* * *

Alois warmly smiled as he guided the Eisners up the stairs of the monastery and to the audience chamber. "How exciting! I haven't told Lady Rhea yet. She is going to be thrilled to see you again! I'll take you inside!"

"Who's Lady Rhea?" Bennett asked.

Alois's eyes widened. "You don't know the archbishop of the monastery? You must be joking!"

"It's true," Byleth added on, "We've never heard about her before."

"Wow, I can't believe you don't know! Your father worked for her for years, you know that?" the man remarked.

Bennett rolled his eyes. "No, no we didn't."

Sweat was dripping down Jeralt's cheek as he kept his eyes locked straight up ahead. In all of her life, Byleth had always viewed him as calm and collected without giving so much as a care in the world. To see him become nervous like he was now was so… off. "Dad, are you okay?" she quietly asked him.

Without looking back at her, her father whispered to her, "Not now."

When Alois opened the door to the audience chamber, everyone saw two individuals- a man and a woman- standing at the end of the corridor whilst deep in conversation. The man had emerald green hair that wrapped past and around his ears as well as a navy blue robe. He wore a rigid, stiff frown as his sharp eyebrows were perpetually furrowed with concern. Besides him was a woman with glowing skin and round mint eyes. Her long, light green hair was spread down and around her blue, gold, and white robe, which matched her golden headdress.

Bennett was stunned at the woman's youthful appearance. He figured that if his father had worked for her, then she would have been far older than she actually was. _Did he watch over her when she was a child or something?_ He wondered.

The man shuffled through the stack of papers in his hand and quickly pulled out a map. He stretched out a map full of annotations."Lady Rhea, if we hold the Battle of the Eagle and the Lion at Gronder Field, then we would have to march through Adrestian Empire territory to get there. I suggest sending a note to the surrounding nobles and Emperor Ionius, just to make sure they're aware."

"You are looking quite ahead of schedule, Seteth." Lady Rhea calmly responded, her voice as calm as an ocean's waves. "But there is no need to worry about all of these affairs now-I am sure that all will be fine. We can send the note in some time..."

Seteth shook his head. "Er… with all due respect, Lady Rhea, I advise that we inform them right away. There is still much to do besides this. We have to finalize class sizes, the chosen professors, and-"

Initially, the man glanced off to the side and back. However, once he realized that there were unfamiliar faces in the room, his head quickly jolted towards their new company. Lady Rhea followed. Both froze when they saw the company Alois had. For a moment, they simply continued to stare at them, their gaze shifting repeatedly between the twins and the aged Jeralt.

Alois laughed as he pushed a very hesitant Jeralt forward. "It's all right, Jeralt! Go up and say hi."

As her companion remained speechless, Rhea hesitantly began speaking. "Jeralt…?" she started. Her eyes grew even wider when she saw the children alongside him. While keeping her eye on Byleth, she took a moment to collect herself. Her shaky voice continued. "You… you've returned… at long last. Come closer…"

Still sweating profusely, Jeralt rushed forward and kneeled before her. "Lady Rhea, forgive me for my silence all these years. Much has… happened since we last spoke."

"Now, Jeralt… the only person you need to kneel before is the Goddess herself. But… indeed. The miracle of fatherhood has blessed you with two lovely children." she quietly responded. She then turned to the twins, her eyes singing with happiness. "You two look just like your mother… there's no mistake you're hers. Is that not so, Seteth…?"

Seteth's stiff mouth quivered for a moment. "I… I…. Y-yes, there is no doubt."

Rhea looked down to Seteth. "Jeralt, it is lovely to see you again. You recall Seteth, don't you?"

"I do. Nice to see you again." Jeralt stood up and nodded at Seteth, who gave him a stiff glare in return. Jeralt nervously laughed and nudged his kids forward. "Uhh, kids... meet your uncle on your mother's side, Seteth. He and I were friends back in the day!" he quickly added.

"Emphasis on _were_ ," Seteth hissed while folding his arms. "Now. Before we ask any questions, you shall tell us your names, shall you not? Do go on."

Byleth's eyes were locked onto her father, whose nervousness and quick acts of deference continued to seem so... unlike him. Never before had she seen him so quick to please and kneel to someone. She bit her lip, confused and silent.

Ignoring his sister, Bennett confidently smiled and bowed before them. "My name is Bennett, and this is my sister, Byleth. It is a pleasure to meet you." he stated before them.

"Likewise. But now is not the time for small talk." Seteth replied. He jerked his head to glare at Jeralt. "Unless you would like to explain where you've been for the last 18 years?"

Jeralt scratched his head and opened his mouth.

However, before he could respond, Lady Rhea rapidly cut in. "Enough, Seteth." she quickly told him. "I knew that they would return someday... My heart is singing with joy to see them safe and sound now, and that is all that matters."

"Y-you're too kind." Jeralt stuttered.

Without saying a word, their looks said nothing and everything at the same time. Lady Rhea's face was calm and collected. However, her eyebrows were raised, and her unflinching gaze had some sort of sharpness to it. Meanwhile, Jeralt only looked to the ground, scared and helpless, but also resigned. Between the two, it was evident that there was something else going on… something that was left unsaid. The silent looks irked Bennett to no end. Were these people hiding their own secrets? Was he supposed to be left in the dark once again?

"However, Jeralt, there is something I must ask you. " Lady Rhea started, "Please, come and return to be the Captain of the Knights of Seiros. I am quite certain that Alois would be more than happy to give you his position. Is that not so?"

Alois guffawed. "Happy? I'd be overjoyed to give my position up to have the Captain back on board!"

"Now wait just a moment, Lady Rhea." Seteth interjected, "Let's carefully consider our options here. Alois has _faithfully_ served us for nearly two decades now! That's far more than what Jeralt has served."

"Ah no, I don't mind at all!" Alois warmly smiled at Jeralt and slapped him on the back, "I'm completely on board with the idea!"

"We should at least have a system for evaluating their skills, and their loyalty to the Church. Garreg Mach requires proper order at all times if we want to properly maintain its military! As your trusted advisor and confidante, please, please let me take this matter into my own hands." Seteth pleaded.

"I am quite sure I know what I'm doing." Rhea calmly said in an attempt to reassure him. "I think Jeralt should give his services to the monastery. And of course, Jeralt, your family will be provided rooms to stay in."

"So, what about my kids? Will they join the Knights of Seiros alongside me?" the mercenary asked them.

"No." Seteth retorted. He spun to the woman beside him, "Lady Rhea, I refuse to allow them to be put in danger like this! They need to stay here at the monastery. "

"Now Seteth… they did save our students. Surely they must be at least a little capable. Besides, it would be a waste of their potential to just keep them tucked away from the rest of the world. Surely, you must remember how much Sitri dreaded the very same thing." Rhea remarked. The archbishop's eyes went to Jeralt. "Surely, she must have told you the same."

Jeralt's mouth tightened. "She did."

At that moment, Seteth's expression changed to one of frustration and one of sorrow. "I… I understand." he said with a crack in his voice. "Well then… the only viable option I can think of then is that they join the Officers Academy."

Lady Rhea's eyes lit up. "I recall now. We did have to add Monica to the Black Eagles house, after all. So, perhaps we could add you two to the two other classes-one in each class-to make everything even."

Bennett grinned. "Is Edelgard in one of them?"

"Edelgard is in the Black Eagles house." Rhea replied. Bennett's heart sank. "However, the Blue Lions and Golden Deer houses are available… with Dimitri and Claude, respectively. Do either of you have a preference?"

Byleth and Bennett shook their heads. "Not between those two." Bennett spoke, "I just really like the Black Eagles, so if that would be possible-"

"We should maintain even numbers, but you may be able to transfer later." Seteth told him. "Well then, Lady Rhea, we should let the children think more on it and-"

"I have decided," the archbishop confidently stated, as she kept her eyes locked onto Byleth with a soft smile. "Bennett will join the Golden Deer house, while Byleth will join the Blue Lions house."

The room went silent for a moment. "That was quite… sudden, Archbishop. May I ask if there's a particular reason for your decision-making?" her advisor inquired, startled.

"Seteth, now is not the time for questions. Now is the time for action. Now, if you would, please bring Prince Dimitri to see me at once." While keeping her head high, the Archbishop gently smiled at the three of them. "You are dismissed… for now. We will arrange for you to have your rooms by this evening. Welcome… welcome to your new home."

* * *

In the dormitory, the first floor was given to faculty members who lived at the monastery. Meanwhile, all of the female students resided in the East Wing- on the second and third floors- while the male students lived in the West Wing. Byleth herself found it hard to believe that she was placed on the second floor, while her brother was on the third. While she didn't show it, she was indeed frustrated about the way he talked to her. Still, he was also the only person her age she spoke to extensively, and she wasn't exactly comfortable going around and talking to others.

That evening, Byleth spent time in her new room. Her room was small, but it was homely. She had her own bed, a desk to study on, windows to peer out of, and a low bookshelf. Stacked on top of the shelf were several books. A few of them contained fairytales, but most of them were about Fodlan's goddess: Sothis.

She had heard what people had to say about the goddess over the years. Her father's clients would always go on about how they had the goddess to thank for just about everything, including their lands, their food, and their children. Jeralt had told her and Bennett about the religion before, but he never pushed the religion onto them either. In truth, she didn't know what he believed… nor did she know what she thought of it all.

Curious about the religion, Byleth picked up a book about Sothis and took it to her bed. After she placed a lit candle on the nightstand, she cuddled close to her pillow and began reading in silence. When she opened the first page, she saw a black and white sketch of a smiling woman. The woman was wearing a large, light robe. She had long, dark hair running around her face with straight bangs on her forehead, and bright flowers adorned her hair.

Suddenly, she heard a voice. " _Are you not going to meet the others?_ " When she looked up, she was startled to see the little girl from her dreams floating above her desk. Byleth quickly jumped in her seat and hurled the book at the girl, who screeched and flew out of the way.

 _Oh. It's you. Sorry. I was startled._ Byleth thought as the girl approached her.

" _So you choose to THROW A BOOK AT ME?!_ " she furiously yelled, " _Honestly!_ "

_Again, I'm sorry, Miss… do you know your name yet?_

The little girl gazed at the windows thoughtfully. " _I do not. Yet. But we can think of something. … What were you reading anyway?_ "

Byleth walked over and picked up the book she was reading. _I'm reading about the goddess Sothis._

The girl approached the young woman and peeked over her shoulder, her eyes wide with curiosity. " _Goddess?_ "

Byleth turned to the page she was on and showed the little girl the design. _Yes. She is Fodlan's goddess. People pray to her frequently._

" _So, do you?_ " the girl asked her.

Byleth shook her head. _Not really. I'm just trying to learn about it. They say Sothis had more power than anyone._

The girl continued concentrating on the woman's design for a moment. Suddenly, she flew up in the air. " _I got it! I have a brilliant idea!_ "

 _What's that?_ Byleth asked her in her mind.

Much to Byleth's concern, the girl climbed up on her desk and stood on it barefoot. She proudly put her hands on her hips and wore a silly but prideful grin on her face. " _Imagine being named after the most powerful being on the planet! Yes, it's only fitting that I am named after the one and only goddess herself! Call me Sothis!_ "

Byleth shook her head and continued reading her book.

The little girl gasped. As she remained in the air, she gripped Byleth's cheeks and turned the woman's face towards her. " _Do not sass me! My name is now Sothis._ "

 _I've never seen people name their children after the goddess._ Byleth thought.

Sothis sullenly folded her arms. " _Well, missy! You better get used to it from now on!"_

* * *

The next morning, it was the first day of classes. Bennett peeked longingly into the Black Eagles house. Like its leader, the classroom was filled with refined nobles. To him, that house had it all. They had the status, the perfect leader, the specialization in magic... he could only hope that he'd be able to switch classes later. But who would possibly want to transfer out?

Much to his further disappointment, the Golden Deer house seemed far less serious and more laid-back- much like its leader. People were tossing crumpled pieces of paper in the trash bin in the back, classmates were telling each other jokes, and Claude simply sat back as he watched all of the events unfold. He could only hope to find at least someone as driven as Edelgard…

When Claude saw Bennett standing at the door, he gave him a wave and gestured for him to come over. "Hey! What's up? You're joining the Golden Deer, aren't you?" he called out with a friendly smile, "C'mon, lemme introduce you a couple of people."

When Bennett trudged over to Claude's desk, the young leader gestured to the pink-haired girl who was sitting beside him and painting her nails. She had nothing but a thin notebook and a bottle of nail polish out on her seat. "Here, is my partner-in-crime, Hilda. Yo, Princess! Meet Bennett!"

Hilda sat up. "Ooh, you're one of the mercenaries Claude was talking about! Nice to meet you. You must be so strong, handling enemies all on your own. I hope that you can protect me in the next battle. I'm just a delicate flower, you know." she replied with a bat of the eyelashes and a slight pout.

Claude rolled his eyes. "Don't listen to her. She's got muscles under those sleeves. She's just as lazy as can be."

"I'm not lazy!" Hilda quickly protested, "Everyone here just works far. Too. Hard. I tire myself out just looking at everyone doing their work. It's too much for little ol' me. See, Claude? This is why I go on the _sidelines._ "

"Sorry, what did you say? Did you say the _front_ lines?"

"Huh? No, I said-"

"Front lines it is, then!"

"Claude, no!"

"Anyways," Claude casually continued as he affectionately ruffled his sulking companion's hair. "On the other side of the table is…" he called out as he looked at the girl on the other side of Hilda. The pale, young woman had light, blue, unkempt hair that cast a shadow over her downcast, brown eyes.

"Psssst, Mari! Someone's talking to you." Hilda whispered to her.

The young woman snapped up immediately, revealing the bags under her eyes. "H-huh? Oh… I'm sorry. I'm… um… not good at talking, or… anything else..." she meekly replied as she turned to Bennett. "I am M...M...Marianne von Edmund."

"Oh, there you go again, Marianne. Come on, you should smile more!" Hilda insisted.

Bennett miserably plopped down next to Claude, grumbling to himself. To him, everything seemed to lack the drive to become big things in life.

He turned around to observe his other classmates. One of them was a large man with tan skin and blonde hair. Instead of books or anything of the like, he just had a large plate of food that he was devouring by the second. Suddenly, he stopped when he saw Bennett looking at him. With his cheeks full of food, he asked, "Hi! My name's Raphael. Want some food?"

Besides him was a small boy with pear green hair, brown eyes, and round glasses. At least he had books on his table, but he too wasn't focused on his studies- he was sketching inside. Finally, behind the two of them sat a young nobleman who held a hand mirror close to his face. That man had bright purple hair shaped in a bowl cut. He donned a rose on his uniform, and he was primping himself non-stop. _This class is the silliest one I've ever seen… they're total goofs…_ Bennett thought to himself as he miserably stared at the door, hoping for someone he'd like more to show up.

Near the front of the classroom was a tall man with creamy blonde hair and violet eyes. He had been known by students in the previous years to loom over and intimidate just about all of his students. Still, the shortest student in the classroom found her way to him without hesitation. Her long, white hair swayed behind her as she marched over to him. "Professor Jeritza? My name is Lysithea von Ordelia. I'm going to be in your class this year." she announced.

"Class will start soon… find a seat." he mumbled without a glance.

"Just so you know, I'm hoping that this class will provide me a challenge." Lysithea eagerly continued, "I'll have you know, I'm quite well-versed in magic already. Any magic spell you can name, I probably already know it! Miasma, Nosferatu, Dark Spikes-"

A sweat drop dropped from the professor's face as he turned to her. "Just… go and sit down…"

"O-oh, yes of course. I just hope that this class will be…ah, never mind." she rushed off to a seat in the front row without a moment to spare while mumbling to herself, "Some people!"

As the number of students who entered the class dwindled, Bennett's heart sank. He would be stuck in the class with the weirdest set of students he thought possible. And, at least for a few weeks, there would be no way out. For him, this day could just not get any worse. The man was about to look away when he spotted a girl with bright orange eyes, with her pixie-cut hair matching. On top of her uniform, she wore fingerless gloves, a brown hoodie tied around her waist, and a bright smile.

His day just got worse. The moment he saw her, he dove under the desk and crawled between Claude and Hilda's legs. "Hide me."

Claude and Hilda exchanged looks. "Uhhh… you alright, friend?" Claude asked him.

"Shh! I'm not here, and I was never here. Okay?" Bennett whispered as he cowered.

* * *

On the outskirts of Remire Village, Kostas panted as he continued trying to run as far as his legs could carry him. He knew that the knights had already left, but he found himself better safe than sorry. The moment he thought he was safe, Kostas finally leaned over and took a deep breath.

"You were supposed to kill them." To Kostas's astonishment, his boss, the Flame Emperor, emerged from the shadows.

The thief's eyes widened. His knees began shaking when he saw the Flame Emperor's fist clench. "I-it was those damn mercenaries! If it weren't for them, taking the nobles out woulda been a piece of cake!" he quickly pleaded.

"Not anticipating mercenaries was an amateur mistake." the Flame Emperor hissed.

But as soon as he felt fear, Kostas also felt fury. He couldn't let some stupid guy with a mask push him around. "Oh? Well if you think it's so easy, then why didn't you do it?" he snarled, "And I still did the work. So?! How do we finish this?!"

"Ha. I will tell you." the mysterious figure tilted his head slightly, his voice as cold and crisp as ice itself. "You _die._ … Good day."

"Wha?! No! Wait!" he pleaded.

The Flame Emperor disappeared back into the shadows of the forest. Shocked, Kostas bolted after him. "Wait! Stop! Come back here!" he screamed. Finally, after his search turned out fruitless, he cried out, "DAMN YOU!"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hi there! I hope everyone is doing well. :)**

**First of all, thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoyed it and, o** **f course, please let me know what you think! Thanks so much!**


	4. Challenge At The Academy

The moment Byleth woke up, she found herself rushing to the 3rd West Wing to her brother's room. This was her first day on her own, and she was barely prepared for regular conversation. What could she talk about, with anyone? She knew nothing about tea parties or politics-the only people she ever really talked to besides her family were her father's clients, many of whom were snobbish nobles who just wanted some thieves dealt with. It was true that her brother would have had the same experiences, but even he chatted more with others.

When she found him, his door was wide open. The window in his room was open as well, the bright sunlight shining ruthlessly on his pale face. He narrowed his eyes as he repeatedly slammed the dust out of his book's pages. When Byleth shyly knocked on the door, he sighed but quickly gave her a tightened smile. "Need something?"

"Um… I was... wondering if you could help me with something." she began hesitantly.

"Depends on what it is." Bennett placed his no longer dusty book on the shelf.

After a bout of awkward silence, Byleth noticed his eyebrows furrowed with frustration. "Is something wrong?" she meekly inquired.

Her brother sighed, his tone oozing with frustration. "I still can't believe that I was just put in the Golden Deer house. Edelgard seems so much more refined and serious… not to mention that she's a princess. A princess who has seen my merits! This could've been _my_ break! I could've shown off my magic! Mingled with high society! Gotten a hot girlfriend! Become famous! But no, Lady Rhea just HAD to ruin it all. You know what I heard yesterday, after chatting with a few people? I heard that the Golden Deer house was the most 'chill' and had the most commoners!"

"You know... we are _also_ commoners. And we're not that bad. You'll be fine." she told him, in hopes that her words would raise his spirits.

Much to her disappointment, her remark was met with a scoff. "Of course _you_ wouldn't understand. C'mon, Byleth. Mingling with the higher-ups is how you _get_ opportunities! It's how you get famous! Someone's gotta recognize you and give you a shot."

"And someone will, even if it isn't Edelgard."

Her brother ignored her as he picked up another stack of books with a huff. As he kept thinking to himself, his eyes suddenly lit up. "Maybe, though... if I can show off my talents, then everyone will be mesmerized by my work. Then, they'll _have_ to let me into that house!"

Byleth looked off to the side. The houses were based on people's place of birth, not necessarily skill. Surely, there must have been other students who were ambitious and capable. There could even be more to Claude than she realized. "Will you really be that much better than everyone else?" she asked.

Again, her response was met with ridicule. "Please, Byleth. I'm the king of magic. I got this." he told her as he held his head up high. "You're so lucky, though. Once Dimitri finds out that you're the Ashen Demon, he'll forget about your silly 'noodle' comment, give you a spot as the most ruthless swordsman in his ranks, and boom! You'll be famous!"

In an instant, she felt the two big words pierce her composure. Ashen. Demon. "I'm not telling him." Byleth quickly blurted out.

The books in Bennett's arms fell to the floor. "What?! You're not going to tell him about being the Ashen Demon?!"

"No." she insisted.

"But you could be set for life!" he cried out, "Do you not know how many people feared you because of that name? You'd be put in the Kingdom's service in an instant!"

As her twin's voice rang throughout the room, Byleth looked around, praying that no one was standing right outside. "You don't know that." she whispered.

Her brother continued to be loud. "I do. _Everyone_ knows of the young girl who ruthlessly takes down her opponents without even flinching! Your lightning speed, your demeanor, it just screams, 'You want me on your side'."

"Quiet. Please. The door is open…" The young woman quietly pleaded, "If he finds out, then he will see me as heartless."

"Oh, come. On. He's not gonna think that, okay? It's just a name!"

"Never. Please. He can't know. _No one_ can know."

Her brother rolled his eyes as he impatiently stormed out of the room. "What a waste of talent! I'm leaving."

"W-wait…" Byleth desperately shuffled after him. As she lost her grip on the doorknob and watched her brother head for the staircase, she suddenly felt the presence of someone nearby.

Much to her horror, there was a pale, young man right behind her, his sharp, amber eyes looking straight at her. He blew the dark blue strands away from his face. "You're the Ashen Demon?" he asked her.

Byleth darted away in an instant. It's all over. The word was out. Should she have negotiated with him? But no, it was too late now...

Now, everyone would know.

* * *

When Byleth peeked inside of the Blue Lions classroom with her books in hand, she noticed Dimitri nodding off at the front of the class. She bit her lip as she slowly wandered in, not wanting to draw any attention to herself. She would've tried to talk to Dimitri, but she just couldn't bring herself to do it- he probably had so much other work he had to do.

That moment, she felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around, she saw a young woman with creamy blonde hair tied into a side swept ponytail. The woman gave her a carefree smile as she softly spoke, "Hello there! My name's Mercedes! What's your name?"

"Byleth."

Much to Byleth's dread, the woman's violet eyes widened when she heard the name. "I knew it! Prince Dimitri had described you perfectly."

Byleth's face remained as neutral as it always has been, unrevealing of her sinking heart. "I can explain."

"Oh, you don't need to!" Mercedes cheerfully replied, "I'm not sure how much he's said to you, but he's very grateful for you saving him, and so is the rest of Faerghus!"

Byleth looked over to the slumbering prince. "That's… it?"

"From what I remember! Was there something he forgot?"

She quickly shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

"Oh, I completely forgot one more thing! He said… hm..."

Byleth tightened her grip on her book, waiting for Mercedes's next sentence. Time seemed incredibly slow to her as Mercedes casually looked up to the roof.

She clapped her hands together. "Oh! That you're new here! So if you'd like, you can come sit with me and my friend Annie! How does that sound?"

"That sounds…" Byleth began. She peeked over Mercedes's shoulder to look at Dimitri, who continued to sleep.

Mercedes turned around to see the prince herself. "Oh! I see. It's perfectly okay if you want to sit next to Dimitri instead! You can go ahead!"

"I don't want to bother him. It's okay." the young woman responded.

"Oh, I'm sure you can wake him up! Class is starting soon, anyway."

"It's fine. Really. Let's go meet Annie."

"Okay, if you're sure!" Mercedes replied. Byleth followed the stranger as she cheerfully skipped back to her seat. Next to Mercedes's seat was a girl with two, bright orange ponytails and large, round, light blue eyes. The girl was diligently scribbling away in her notebook while taking little peeks at the textbook underneath.

"Did… we have homework?" Byleth asked.

"Not at all! Annie just likes to study ahead." Mercedes told her. She turned to the girl and spoke. "Annie, we have a new friend! This is Byleth! And Byleth, this is my best friend-"

The girl looked up, her eyes large, round, and filled with more than a hint of excitement. "Ooh! You're the new girl, right? I'm Annette!" she exclaimed. She hastily jolted up her arm for a handshake, sending her pencil flying across the desk in front of the girls. As the pencil hit the floor, the young girl nervously giggled. "So, uh… you'll be joining us, right?"

Byleth nodded. She sat at Mercedes's side, grateful that the two girls were-hopefully- interested in becoming allies. Even if she wasn't great at conversation, she certainly hoped to find more people on her side. She looked around the room to see students quickly filling up the classroom. Much to her surprise, many of them appeared to be boys. Soon, though, her gaze honed in on the same man she had seen an hour earlier. Just as before, he was staring right at her… intently. She hesitantly tapped Mercedes on the shoulder, quickly whispering, "Who's that? Blue hair, orange eyes."

Mercedes spun around and looked behind her. "Oh! Are you talking about Felix?"

Annette stopped writing. She followed Byleth and Mercedes's looks. "Oh… that's Felix? You mean… Felix Fraldarius? … Yeah, he's kind of cute!"

Mercedes giggled and playfully nudged her friend. "You're so lucky! You should go talk to him!"

Annette blushed instantly. "Oh, me? Nah… I've got more studying to do! S-see?"

"But you _are_ engaged to him, aren't you? And you haven't even met him!" Mercedes wrapped her arms around her friend for a moment. "Come now, don't be shy! I'm sure he's a gentle, kind man who's perfect for my Annie!"

"Oh… well, I mean, I don't have that much time on my hands, but… yeah. I guess you have a point! I'll uh, go and say hi!" Annette nervously announced before readying herself to march to his desk.

"You can do it! I believe in you!" Mercedes called out with a wide grin on her face.

Panic flooded Byleth's mind once again. If Felix told Annette about her being the Ashen Demon, then Annette would tell Mercedes, who would tell Dimitri, who would tell Claude and Edelgard, who would tell… everyone else. She would have no chance of erasing knowledge of the name she dreaded so much. "Wait. I…" she started as she rapidly gripped Annette's wrist. The moment Annette turned towards her, though, she suddenly realized that she had nothing to say. Her eyes darted from left to right. She tried to remember Sothis's suggestions to her. Hair, eyes, shoes…

"What is it?" Annette asked her.

"I like your hair." Byleth blurted out. _Not this again. Don't think of food. In fact, don't think of anything. Say nothing._ She told herself.

Annette thoughtfully played with her ponytails. "Oh, yes! I do like my hair looped like this! If you want, I'd be happy to show you how to do it!"

"Yes," Byleth quickly replied, "Show me now. Please."

Before Annette could respond, they all heard a voice: "Come now, everyone! To your seats!"

At the front of the classroom stood a middle-aged man with gray hair, a monocle, and a bushy mustache. "Good morning, class! My name is Hanneman, professor of the Blue Lions house _and_ an expert of Crestology!" he stated, his face filled with pride.

Out of the corner of her eye, Byleth noticed the young prince jolt awake and shuffle through his things.

 _Maybe he needs a better pillow to help him sleep at night... Should I buy him one?_ Byleth thought to herself.

" _No! Are you serious?!_ " Sothis scolded her.

Hanneman began pacing around the class, repeatedly fussing with his monocle as he walked. "In my class, we will be focusing on the basics: weapon theory, history, battle strategy… and, of course… now, say it with me everyone!"

"Crests." the Blue Lions students mumbled. Many of them had already heard of Professor Hanneman's fascination with the subject long ago… and how non contagious it actually was.

Still, the students' reactions baffled the teacher. "Really!" he exclaimed, "Come now. I know that all of you already know about the _social_ impacts Crests have on your lives. It is no secret that children with Crests are preferred by their parents, or that it can become especially useful for finding a good marriage prospect."

Byleth looked down at her hands. Her father never pushed her to find out if she had any Crest herself. So, as far as she knew... she didn't have one.

"However! Crests have the opportunity for having many, powerful effects on someone on the battlefield! As such, it is important that all of you understand the lore and the workings of all of your Crests. You never know when this information will become handy!" Hanneman gleefully told his students as he rushed to scribble on the chalkboard in front.

Suddenly, Byleth heard Sothis speak to her: " _My my. Do you really not know whether you have a Crest?_ "

Byleth bit her lip. _I don't, no._

" _Well then! There is only one thing to do, isn't there?_ " Sothis asked, " _You cannot simply go on without knowing about your Crest. You should go see him and see if he can help."_

Byleth nodded to herself.

"Now!" Hanneman called out, "We will mainly hold our classes indoors, studying the theory of teamwork, strategy, weapons, and-my favorite, of course-Crests! However, all of you will get to practice when the class is assigned for monthly missions to help the Church. Generally, these missions simply mean accompanying the Knight of Seiros for dealing with bandits, or something of the like. It's never anything terribly huge, but it IS essential for learning basic combat techniques."

Byleth looked down at her desk. The Knights of Seiros… if they were going to be teaming up with them, then there was hopefully a chance she'd be able to work with her father.

Her professor continued scribbling on the board. "In addition to book work, I will provide supplemental guidance to groups of you based on your skill level and weapon of choice. So, to assess each of your skills, we have designed two activities this year! One of them is a teamwork activity. But the event that is coming up tomorrow is…"

* * *

"Duels."

Bennett's eyes lit up when he heard his teacher's words. Up until this point, Bennett's day had been going terribly. He was stuck in the Golden Deer House. No one was motivated. He had to come out from under the desk eventually, so his childhood acquaintance eventually spotted him and was inevitably going to, much to his chagrin, find him after class. But this turned everything around. _Finally!_ He thought to himself, _This is my chance to prove my skills. Once they see what I'm made of, they'll have no choice but to transfer me to the Black Eagles house, where I really belong._

"You have been randomly selected to battle with one student from the three houses. All of you will be battling in the next two days. All three of us will be watching you." Jeritza announced, "The matchups are posted outside of the door... And no...switching is not allowed."

* * *

As a smiling Claude and a scowling Bennet both exited the classroom, they were suddenly stopped by a voice: "Ben?"

"Oh boy…." Bennett grumbled, hunching over as the short-haired woman from earlier approached him. He gave her a nervous smile and stood up straight, "It's, uh, been a long time."

Claude raised his eyebrows. "Leonie, you two know each other?"

Leonie's brightened smile was a contrast to Bennett's miserable frown. "Yeah! Sometimes, when Captain Jeralt would come to my village for a job, he'd drop him and his sister with my family."

"Really! Well, I'm glad you've got a friend in this class." Claude remarked whilst giving Bennett a pat on the back.

"Well, we aren'tfriends really..." the mage began.

"Really?" Leonie put her hands on her hips and looked him in the eye. "That's all you have to say to someone you haven't seen for years?"

"It's been a long time..." the young man quietly replied while trying to avoid eye contact.

Leonie shrugged. "Fine, I guess. But let's catch up later, okay?" Without another moment to waste, she gave a friendly wave to Claude and saw her way out.

As Bennett folded his arms and began to walk away, Claude rushed to catch up with him. "Soooo, any juicy details for me?" he asked, with his head tilted and a glint in his eye.

Bennett shot him an irritated look. "Not your business."

"Ah, but now you've got me curious."

"Well, be curious forever, then."

The archer simply carefreely chuckled as he stretched his arms. "You know, I can keep a secret. Just in case you... had a thing for her."

His companion's nose wrinkled instantly. "As if."

When Bennett and Claude approached the list posted outside of the classroom, they saw Hilda standing there with a few others, sweating profusely and shaking.

"Eh? What's wrong, Princess?" Claude asked as he wrapped his arm around her, "Got a little unlucky?"

Hilda's face quickly switched from a pout to a bright smile. "Claude! Oh, am I glad to see you! Have I ever told you about how strong and… dependable you are?"

"Nope." Claude casually responded as he read through the list.

"Well, you _are._ You're so strong that I'm sure you could beat just about anyone on this list. You know?"

Claude snorted. "You got Edelgard? Good luck."

"Claude, no! The answer is not 'good luck', it's…" Suddenly, she clasped her hands together and looked up to him. "'Oh, Hilda. Of course I'll happily take your place and protect you from all harm!'"

While the house leader shook his head, Hilda heard footsteps from behind her. "Hilda Goneril, is it? I look forward to sparring with you tomorrow."

The pink-haired woman slowly turned her head to see the Imperial Princess right next to her. With a slight giggle and a twirl of the hair, she sheepishly smiled. "Ooh, yeah! Of. Course. Buuuut about that…I hope you go easy on me. After all, I'm nowhere as strong as you." She gave her a pout. "I'm just a delicate maiden, a damsel in distress. I didn't even want to come to the Academy! My brother made me…"

Edelgard firmly nodded. "Yes, we've all heard of your brother's renowned strength. I'm sure you will bring a lot to the table." she remarked, much to Hilda's dismay. She then turned her attention to Bennett, who was already watching her closely and in complete awe of her presence. "And… how do you fare today?"

"The class environment is just so… different." he said with a wide smile."I really do feel that I'm a better fit by your side, in the Black Eagles class."

Much to his pleasure, Edelgard gave him a small smile in return. "Well, there _are_ many students in the Black Eagles class. So, if one of them also wants to transfer in the next couple of weeks and there's a spot open, I'm certain that you'll be able to switch places with them. Now, I must be going. But take care."

Bennett watched Edelgard leave the scene. He saw her neat, white hair billowing in the window. He saw her confident stride. He saw her head high up in the air with pride, her red cape billowing in the wind. She looked beautiful. She looked majestic. She looked like she could take over the world. And she was the person that Bennett wanted to be himself one day.

"Hey. Earth to Bennett." Claude waved his hand in front of the young man's face. "You know who you're up against?"

The mage shook his head and quickly looked to the list. "Oh, yeah. Let's see… I have… oh. Lysithea von Ordelia."

"Ah, I know her. Lysithea is actually the youngest student at the Academy here, you know that? She's 15." Claude said.

Bennett's heart sank in an instant. "You're kidding…" he grumbled, "You're kidding! I'm going to be facing a _baby_? No! This is bogus! If I beat her, then it's not going to look good. It'll just look like I beat a child, and that won't be a big deal."

Claude and Hilda stopped moving. They began to silently but frantically make spinning gestures with their hands, but Bennett ignored them. To him, it just was another testament to their silliness… and why he shouldn't be there.

He heard a hiss. " _What_ did you just call me?"

When Bennett turned around, he saw a short girl with white hair and pink eyes glaring daggers at him. She had white hair just like Edelgard, but for some reason, he found it far less pleasant to look at.

Much to her annoyance, he bent his knees to speak to her. "Oh great! You're here. Look, I want to find an opponent who's a little more… challenging. And you're gonna need to find someone who'll be able to fight at your level!"

"And that my level isn't yours?"

"Nope." Bennett responded with a confident smile on his face. "Look. I have more life experience than you, and have definitely had more time to practice mag-"

"Excuse me?! I'm sure that I'm _way_ more experienced than you think I am!"

"Do you? Then use your experience to realize that you're too young for this stuff." he replied with a condescending tone. "I'm looking for a real opponent, not a babysitting job."

Claude and Hilda nervously exchanged looks. Without a word, Hilda rushed to Lysithea and warmly wrapped her arms around her. "Lysitheaaaa, c'mon. How about your pals Hilda and Claude take you out to that super duper nice bakery in town and-"

Lysithea's eyes remained fixated on Bennett. "Really! Actually, I think this will be a babysitting job. For _me_ , anyway, considering your _own_ immaturity and lack of self-awareness!"

Bennett shook his head. "I'm saying this for both of our benefits. I need to show off my skills tomorrow, and they should place you with the younger students. This isn't a match."

"Oh no. I actually think this is going to be a great match." she retorted, "I look forward to beating you tomorrow."

Claude tightened a smile as he nudged Bennett. "Hey, friend. Why don't you go and prepare for a bit? I think it could help you out."

"Please. Prepare? For her? Not needed. I'll knock her out in an instant. I'm going to go familiarize myself with the dining hall instead." Bennett replied as he strolled away.

"UGH! The audacity!" Lysithea exclaimed whilst indignantly folding her arms.

"Welp. The guy's got an ego, that's for sure." Claude remarked, "Still, I think you may wanna go easy on him."

"No. I WILL beat him tomorrow." The girl insisted. After a moment, she then turned to Hilda. She bit her lip and sheepishly looked to the ground. "Oh, uh… Hilda. It would be quite immature of me to indulge in cake… but it would ALSO be immature to decline your offer to go out. Therefore, I accept your offer. … Graciously."

Claude smiled and rolled his eyes. "You sure you don't wanna just admit you like cake?"

Lysithea's cheeks reddened. She hastily folded her arms. "N-no! Me? Like sweets? No. Way, Claude. That's for little kids. And I am _not_ a little kid. I am… simply accepting an offer from a friend, that's all."

* * *

"So, I heard that we'll get to pick our teams for that team challenge stuff!" Annette told Mercedes and Byleth with glee as they entered the courtyard, "How do you feel about it? Are you in, Mercie?"

"Of course I am." Mercedes warmly replied. "What about you, Byleth? Would you like to join us?"

Byleth nodded. "Sure."

At that moment, the three girls saw Dimitri approaching. Byleth looked away as he got closer, continuing to hope that he didn't hear anything from Felix.

"Oh! Why hello there, Dimitri!" Mercedes cheerfully greeted him.

"Hello, Your Highness! Great to see you!" Annette quickly added.

"Hello, Mercedes. Annette." Dimitri smiled at the two. He shifted his attention to the young woman with them. "Byleth."

Mercedes and Annette turned to Byleth. "We really do have to be going now, but we'll see you tomorrow!" Annette said, with her eager, bubbly tone.

While Byleth waved to the girls as they left, Dimitri leaned over to her. "I… take it you had a good first day here? I certainly hope so."

 _Not noodles. Not noodles. Not noodles…_ Byleth chanted to herself. She took a deep breath and faced him."Hi, Dimitri. Prince Dimitri. Your Highness. Sir."

The prince shook his head. "Please, Dimitri is fine. We are classmates, after all! I missed speaking to you this morning. But I hope that we can have more time to chat."

"Do you need something done? I can help."

"Oh, I don't actually! But I know you're new here, and I'd be happy to give you company. After all, I owe you my life. Please… I do hope you'll allow me to repay you somehow." he told her, his eyes shining with concern.

"It's no problem."

"Are you sure? I'd be happy to take you out for dinner, or perhaps a tea party."

"I'm really fine."

Dimitri frowned, helpless for what else he could say. She seemed impossible to connect with at times. "O-oh, well if you insist, then I'll leave it at that. But… do know that the offer still stands!"

The mercenary then looked to the ground. "But…"

He lifted his head. "Hm? Please, I'd be happy to do anything. Really!"

The woman's eyes fixated on the grass beneath her feet. "Did… Felix tell you anything?"

Dimitri paused. He remembered Felix being unsociable as usual, but he couldn't recall him saying much recently. "I don't think so. Is there something I should know? You can tell me."

"Oh. No. It's nothing."

The prince bit his lip as he looked over to her, concerned. _What could he have said to her?_ He asked himself. "Listen... I know that Felix can be quite… blunt sometimes, but deep down, he's a good guy. I can tell you that much."

Suddenly, Byleth lifted her heels and peeked over his shoulder. To her relief and anxiety at the same time, she spotted the same man she'd seen before, watching the two of them. "Found him. He's over there!"

Dimitri turned to look with her. "Ah, so he is! I will be happy to go speak with him, if his behavior concerns you. Perhaps that would be my way to-"

"No. I will."

The prince's chest sank. "O-oh. Understood, then. I hope to speak to you later, then."

Byleth then rushed off without another word, leaving the prince behind. Slowly, and steadily, the smile disappeared from his face. He was happy that she was finding company with others, but he hoped that she'd at least keep talking to him.

After all, Lady Rhea did instruct him to keep an eye on her.

Felix leaned on a stone pillar with his arms folded when he saw Byleth quickly approach him. "Well, well, well. Didn't know you were so friendly with His Beastliness."

"That's... mean for you to say." Byleth responded.

The swordsman indifferently shrugged. "Call it mean, but it's the truth." he said. He gestured to the prince. "See that man over there? I've known him since before he was even born. He may look nice now, but mark my words. Underneath all of those smiles and charms, he's nothing but an animal. A monster. Remember that."

"He's not a monster."

Felix smirked and looked back at her. "Of _course_ you don't think that now. Nobody does. But trust me. You'll all… understand someday." Byleth looked down for a moment. Felix continued talking. "Anyways, you came for something, didn't you?"

"Have... you told anyone?" she quietly asked him.

"Obviously not. If everyone knew, they'd be challenging you nonstop. I'd rather have you to myself. If you really are the Ashen Demon, then I must defeat you."

"Don't call me that." the young mercenary quickly whispered.

"As you wish. Demon or no demon, I look forward to the challenge."

Byleth tilted her head. "We won't be facing each other tomorrow."

Felix scoffed. "We won't, but there's a training arena on campus." he told her, his eyes filled with hunger. "We can spar there as much as we please. You should join me sometime. … I'll be waiting." And without so much as a glance, Felix put his hands in his pockets and strided away.

* * *

Edelgard quietly sat down by herself in the dining hall. She began to read through a book on Empire politics. Then, a cold breeze wafted through the air beside her. Without looking up, she casually uttered, "I saw the list. You'll be facing Byleth, will you not?"

Beside the Imperial princess was a tall man slightly resembling a black cat, with his pitch black hair and sour yellow eyes. A smile crept up on his pale face. "I did indeed. She's the one with the special… powers, is she not?"

Edelgard closed her book and looked up to him without hesitation. "Hubert. You don't need to simply stand by me, you know. Why don't you sit here and rest for a moment? You must be tired."

Hubert's smile faded. "I'm simply afraid that I have other work to attend to. But as long as you are seated, Lady Edelgard, then that is _all_ that matters."

The princess shook her head and turned away. "Even after all these years of us being side by side, I still can't get you to relax for one second."

"You say that as if you take a break yourself."

Edelgard laughed. "You caught me there. But, if you could sit, there really _is_ something I might discuss."

Her retainer found his way to her bench and sat besides her. "Do you wish to be in a more private setting for this conversation?"

The princess shook her head. "No, but…" she whispered, "Just... remember what I told you about the strange nature of her background as well as her potential abilities. I know something happened that day."

"Oh, naturally. I already have it planned out... quite nicely." Hubert lightly chuckled while standing up. "After all… if Her Highness has taken so much _interest_ in her, then I'm obligated to look into it."

Edelgard's cheeks turned beet red. "H-H-Hubert!" she stuttered, "You're very dear to me, but I'll have you know that you're quite awful too."

* * *

**Hi! Thanks again for reading my story! I hope you enjoyed it, and feedback is always appreciated!**

**Special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for being my beta reader. :)**


	5. The Fight

When Bennett entered the dining hall, his chest sank. He felt guilty about telling Lysithea off, but this had been his time to shine, and he was up against some... child. He didn't know what she was capable of, but he knew what other people would say if he beat her: "Oh, he's no good. She's just a kid, so of course he won."

For the last decade, the Black Eagles house had always ranked first, with the Blue Lions and Golden Deer houses frequently fighting head-to-head for second place. Everyone could say that it was just a number, and that it was just a matter of birthplace, but he wasn't buying it. There was too much of a pattern here. The Black Eagles were at the top, and he had to rise to their level.

He had to be recognized.

As those words echoed in his head, he noticed Dimitri eating with a large, brown-skinned man on the other end. The man's short, white hair was tied back, while his face bore dulled, green eyes and a large frown. The man's gloomy expression was a sharp contrast with the nature of the cheerful prince, who seemed to have no burdens of his own. Bennett's thoughts were only further solidified as the prince warmly smiled and gestured for him to come over.

Bennett had no idea why Byleth wanted to hide her moniker from the young prince. He could imagine what would happen if she had told him everything about her previous experiences: Prince Dimitri would immediately make her a part of his personal guard, the Eisner family would rise to noble status, and her father would be undoubtedly proud of her… as he always was.

To him, Byleth had grown up living with everything. She may have not had close friends over the years, but she had their father's constant applause, the praise of merchants, and her very own moniker: 'Ashen Demon'. By contrast, Bennett was always the Number Two. The backup.

The afterthought.

She had everything he ever wanted, and, with her indifferent expression, she just wouldn't accept any of it. … He couldn't stand it anymore. _Didn't she know what was best for her?_ He angrily thought to himself. _Didn't she know that she shouldn't take any of what she has for granted?!_

"Bennett! What a lovely surprise. I take it you're well?" Dimitri asked him with a wide smile.

"Er… yeah, I'm fine." Bennett mumbled as he nervously smiled back.

He had to tell him. There was no way he'd let her get away with it.

Dimitri's eyes lit up. "Oh! I completely forgot. Please, Dedue, I hope you'll forgive my dreadful manners."

"There is no need to introduce me, Your Highness," the man replied with a somber tone, "I am a man of Duscur. There are not many in Fodlan who would take kindly to someone such as myself..."

"Nonsense." Dimitri insisted, "Ben, meet Dedue. He's been in my service for the past four years now. He's quite taciturn but also a kind and good-natured young man."

Bennett tightened a smile. "Pleasure."

Dedue gave a small nod, but said nothing.

"Now, Ben. Is there any way I can help you?" he asked, "If there's anything I can do, please let me know!"

"Uh… no, not exactly. There's something I wanted to tell you about my sister, though." Much to his annoyance, as the words left his mouth, he recalled Byleth's pleas in his head: _Never. Please. He can't know. No one can know._

"I see. Please, do go on!"

"Back when we were part of our father's mercenary group, Byleth was very skilled at her work, and because of her work… she got her own name." He heard them again. _Never. Please. He can't know. No one can know._

"Ah, a nickname! Yes, of course! Please tell me! What is it?"

 _Never. Please. He can't know. No one can know._ The words continued to ring in his mind. Bennett shook his head. He was doing the right thing. Dimitri had to know. He had to tell him.

And yet...

O-oh. Yeah. Yeah, she's… we… C-call her Byla." he stuttered.

Dimitri warmly smiled. "Oh? Byla? That's… a lovely name, actually. Thank you for sharing."

Without a moment to waste, the mage nervously smiled as he left the table without another word.

He wanted to smack himself in the head. Byla? That's all he could tell him about?

Byleth was making a big mistake by keeping her reputation quiet.

Pathetic.

Yet, he couldn't harden up and rectify her mistake by telling Dimitri himself.

Pathetic.

* * *

Byleth quickly paced to her brother's room. She couldn't help but feel worried for him, having heard about his fight with Lysithea.

She knew him to be nicer than this. She knew him to be smarter than this. She knew him to be happier than this. But after all these years, those times of smiles and laughs had slowly faded away. Still, as his sister, she would remain by his side, hopeful that better times would someday return.

She sharply knocked on the door. When her brother opened it, he didn't give his usual fake smile. Instead, his expression was rather cold.

"Why are you here?" he grumbled as she made her way inside.

Byleth looked around at the magic tomes spread around his small room. "I knew you'd be practicing." she remarked, "I knew you would."

Bennett didn't respond. He tapped his foot impatiently as his sister made her way to the window.

"Why aren't you practicing outside?" she asked him, "Doing so and with a target is better."

"I don't need it."

Byleth looked outside at the number of students passing by, speaking amongst themselves. In an instant, she understood. "There are a lot of people out there. You must be worried about them."

"Tch. There's nothing to worry about. Why should I be worried?" he retorted.

Byleth tilted her head towards him, her gaze fixated on him. "If you practiced to fight a younger student, you worry that they would see you as weak."

Bennett looked down, unable to say a single word in response. They both knew she was right.

"You're self-taught. You don't know what she knows. You don't actually know how this is going to go, even if you want others to believe that you do." she calmly continued. While her voice was monotone, it was also comparatively soothing compared to her brother's sharp tone. She liked that.

Bennett bit his lip. "That's ridiculous. How can you say that? Of course I know how this is going to go. There's no question about that." he replied defensively.

Byleth shook her head. "You want _me_ to believe it too."

Finally, the young man threw up his hands and plopped down on his bed. "You know what? Fine. Believe whatever you want, I won't stop you."

Byleth continued watching everyone in the courtyard. She then spotted Jeralt in the distance, smiling and praising Leonie as she shot a bulls-eye.

She nudged her brother and jerked her head towards them. "Look over there."

The moment Bennett sees them, his nose wrinkled. "Ugh." He buried his face in his pillow. "He should just adopt her already. He's so proud of how she turned out, so he may as well."

Byleth paused for a moment to think. "He was never so enthusiastic about your interests, either."

Bennett threw his pillow aside and sat up, his face full of bitterness. "Stop talking like it's your business. It's not." he snapped, " Besides, you were the same. You were _always_ his pride and joy, period. And such a daddy's girl. By comparison, I was just some… well, _not_ daddy's boy, just… boy. "

"I'm sure he's proud of you too. Even if he can't express it." Byleth quietly insisted, "Believe me." She looked around and on his desk. While she wasn't able to give him a proper smile, she hoped that she could find something to inspire him or brighten his mood.

Bennett got up from his bed and leaned against the window, sullenly looking down at Jerlat himself. "I don't need him to be proud of me. And I don't need you to come and comfort me either. When I make it to the top, none of it will matter."

Byleth continued looking for something. Much to her dismay, she heard her brother's words: "Anyways, if you're here for something, make it quick. I have to get back to work here."

She stopped looking and turned to him. Perhaps it was time to just get to the point. "I just heard about Lysithea. You should apologize."

"There's nothing to apologize for."

"Yes, there is. … You're better than this."

"Okay, fine. Maybe." he admitted, "But even if I tried, just tell me what I'd say. 'Ohhh, sorry, Lysithea. I'm sorry I insulted you. I'm actually just an inexperienced, sullen man child. Please forgive me.' Please. What would everyone think about a statement like that?"

Byleth nodded. "She would understand that you can acknowledge her mistakes."

"No! That's humiliating. The only choice I have is to beat her."

Byleth looked around his room once again. It was tiny, not to mention cluttered. If he burned anything in his room by accident, he would surely have to pay something for it. "And you're going to do that in your room?"

"Pretty much. I will win, no matter what you think."

Byleth's eyes fell down to his papers. She saw tons of scribbling, papers on the rankings of the houses in the past few years, and...

Her hand brushed past the papers that were sitting on top of it. Sitting beneath all of those papers, much to her surprise, was a paper she had seen around in his room, but not in a while.

Bennett's eyes widened. "Give it here." he quickly demanded.

She picked up the paper. "... You kept this after all this time?"

"I was going to throw it away. And I _will_ throw it away. Tomorrow, okay?"

As her brother had focused more on his magical pursuits and the attention of others, she never imagined that he'd keep it. But knowing that he did made her happy. "I hope you find her again."

"Unlikely." he responded, his head sinking as he spoke, "Besides, I'm sure she was weirded out by you, just like everyone else was..."

"You don't know if that was the reason she never came back. She could've been grounded. Or gotten lost finding snacks. Or gone fishing."

"Oh come on. Fishing? That's your and Dad's thing."

"It's a very fun thing." Byleth responded with a solemn nod. "You should come sometime."

Bennett rolled his eyes. "This is annoying. Sorry, but you have to go out. Now." He dragged her out of the room.

"Wait, I-" The door slammed in her face. "... Huh."

Byleth stood outside for a moment. She then felt her hand still gripping the paper that she had picked up earlier. _Oh. I guess I should give this back._ She thought to herself.

She raised her arm to knock on the door once more. All of a sudden, she stopped, her hand frozen centimeters away from the wood. Without another second to lose, she quietly folded the drawing and put it in her pocket. She didn't want to return the paper just yet- she had something else in mind.

* * *

Byleth devoured the small cakes in front of her without hesitation. In her mind, she heard Sothis scoff at her.

" _Ugh, how many of those are you going to eat? It's improper for you to eat so much."_ she nagged, " _Have you always eaten like this?_ "

_I have. It's a shame that you can't taste this yourself, it's really good._

" _As you say. But you really should go soon. You're going to miss her if you don't hurry up._ "

_You're right. Sorry. I'll eat this one on the way._

Byleth snatched the last cake and held it close to her chest. Then, she heard a familiar voice. "Ah, Byleth! Or perhaps you prefer Byla? It's a lovely day, isn't it?"

Byleth swung around to find a smiling Dimitri, accompanied by a distant Felix. "SorryDimitrican'ttalkbye." she replied as she squeezed past Dimitri and Felix.

Dimitri frowned. "She hasn't been approaching me lately… I hope that all is well, and that I haven't done anything to upset her."

Felix sneered. "I must say, she's quite perceptive. She's already figured out how much of a monster you really are." Dimitri's shoulders sank.

* * *

Byleth paced back to the East Wing dormitory. When she got there, she entered a hall filled with doors. She went past each door, one by one, searching for her name on one of the doors. She came across many names, but not one of them was Lysithea. By the time she reached her room at the end of the hall, she still hadn't found the right room. Still, it was only then that she noticed that she lived beside Annette and across Edelgard.

After sprinting up the stairs to the 3rd floor of the East Wing with ease, she continued searching. Finally, she found her room a couple of doors down. On top of it was a small sign, on which "Lysithea" was written in neat cursive. As she quickly knocked on her door, Byleth felt all of her confidence drain instantly. _I'm not cut out for this._ She told herself.

" _Oh, hush!_ " she heard Sothis say, " _You're already here. It's too late to turn back now._ "

The door swung open, revealing a room with a tidy bed and stacked books and pages on the desk. Nothing was out of place there. Byleth looked down to find the short, pale girl standing in front of her with her hands on her hips. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Byleth held her breath for a moment. "Uh... yes. My name is Byleth. Hi."

Lysithea sighed. "Yes, yes." she started impatiently, "I've heard of you. Hi. Do you need something? I don't have much time, you know."

"I want to talk. About my brother."

"Nope." the small girl responded.

"Huh?"

"I don't have time right now, I'm busy studying. Now if you'll excuse me, I-"

"It'll be just a moment." Byleth pleaded.

"And I don't have a moment. Now, please stop wasting my time, I don't have any to-" Suddenly, Lysithea froze, her gaze fixated on Byleth's hands.

Byleth tilted her head. "What's wrong?" She looked at her hand, which was still holding the mini-cake she had from earlier.

She heard Sothis's chiding voice. " _Fool! You shouldn't have taken so much. See?_ "

Byleth shook her head and focused on Lysithea. "Um…"

* * *

Byleth felt an unimaginable amount of grief.

All of this was just too much for her to watch.

Lysithea was munching on _her_ new favorite treat, after all.

 _Oh, the sacrifices that I have to make for him…_ Byleth miserably thought to herself as she watched it disappear in Lysithea's mouth.

"You don't have any more, do you?" Lysithea inquired with her mouth full. In an instant, she blushed and, in an effort to seem more sophisticated, wiped her slightly messy mouth with a handkerchief.

Byleth shook her head, much to the girl's disappointment. "But will you hear me out?"

Lysithea folded her arms sullenly. "Fine. I will listen, even though your brother is such a big pain."

Byleth nodded. "Yes. I wanted to apologize for him. Sorry."

Lysithea furrowed her eyebrows. "He didn't send you did he? He should have at least had the shred of decency to come on his own." She shyly looked to the ground, her face reddening once again. "… With a peace offering."

"He didn't send me."

"So what, you're going to apologize for him? I don't have time for that."

"I'm sorry. He really _can_ do better. I know he can. I know he regrets it."

"Then he should just do better." Lysithea said, "It's really not that hard."

Byleth looked down thoughtfully. "He wants to surround himself… with people who care."

"So? You care."

"Yes." The young woman shook her head. "But I'm different. He doesn't understand me."

"So… what are you getting at exactly?"

"Maybe you can talk to him."

Lysithea stopped moving. "You're joking."

"I am not." Byleth stated. As Lysithea continued to look at her incredulously, Byleth felt her confidence dropping. Still, she slowly continued, "There's one thing I want to show… t-to prove my point."

Lysithea watched the mercenary suspiciously as she pulled out a paper.

With a small amount of hesitation, Byleth made a tiny gesture towards the paper she had. "Look at this."

The girl snatched it from her and unfolded it. Much to her surprise, the paper was…. A drawing. In the middle were two smiling stick figures. Around them- and even on them- were messy, colorful scribbles, left and right. In truth, there was not much to look at, besides the messiness. Still, much to Byleth's surprise, Lysithea remained focused on the illustration for a moment.

"... Don't tell me this is his art style. I will be judging him immensely."

"He didn't make it." Byleth quietly replied, "He had one friend. Long ago. She gave it."

Lysithea bit her lip. "I'm surprised that he's held onto this for so long. I would've thought that someone like _him_ would've thrown… well… something like _this-_ a silly, childish drawing- away ages ago."

"He _has_ wanted to throw it away."

"See? Then I was right."

"But he's been saying that for _years_."

Lysithea frowned and looked back at the drawing. For a moment, words weren't exchanged. "I… see. I'll give this back to you, then." Lysithea quietly replied. She folded the drawing back up and handed it to Byleth. "There IS one thing I have to ask you, though."

Byleth raised her head as she took the paper from Lysithea. "What is it?"

The girl's pink eyes narrowed. "... Why... would you ask me, anyway?"

Byleth's nervousness shot through the roof in an instant. Of course this had been a bad idea, and Lysithea had only thought the same. The former mercenary stood up. "This is dumb. Not you. Me. Sorry. I'll go. Bye." she mumbled while shuffling away.

Lysithea's eyes widened, "Hey, wait! Don't go!" Byleth stopped. "I didn't say I wouldn't try. I'm curious about... well, why me. You could've talked to Claude. He's the house leader and is socially adept… somehow. He would've done better. But you came to me."

Byleth slowly turned towards her. "He likes magic. And so do you. I thought… you'd have stuff in common."

"Hmph. That's it? Pretty weak reasoning, if you ask me." Lysithea remarked as she stood up and opened the door. "... But I'll try to talk to him."

"Thank you. I'm grateful."

"But if he keeps being a pain, then don't expect me to keep trying!" Lysithea insisted, "I honestly don't know how you put up with him. Make sure not to bend too far over for others. Some people are just not worth the trouble, you know. Or the time!"

"I understand." Byleth told her with a bowed as she exited.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Ugh, no need for all that stuff. Although…" She began shyly twisting her hair as she looked away. "I-if you ever had any more sweets, then… I wouldn't be complaining. N-not because I like them! It's just that they're not bad, and uh… the bakeries in town are… um, underfunded, so..."

Byleth tilted her head. "Are they?"

"They are too! And… it's uh... the _grown-up_ thing to do to go… buy their stuff and help them out. So, yeah. Candies. I want to eat them. To help them."

Byleth thought to herself for a moment. "Um… I'm sure there are other businesses who may have other things you might like more."

Lysithea's face turned beet red. "THE CANDY BUSINESS NEEDS ME!" she yelled before hastily closing the door.

" _What a strange girl…_ " Sothis remarked as Byleth stared ahead.

* * *

Sweat dropped down Bennett's cheek as he stood by Lysithea. The girl was looking straight ahead at the training grounds, her gaze serious and unflinching.

The two of them were standing in the training grounds, a large area with pillars and a ground of stone. At the end of the table were the three professors…

There was Manuela, the Black Eagles professor. She was a woman wearing a sultry, midnight green dress covered with a large, white overcoat. Her face was patted with bright, orange eyeshadow and lipstick, and her caramel hair curved neatly around her face. In truth, her appearance was enough to make many of the male students blush at the very sight of her, including Bennett himself.

Beside her were the other two professors, including his own. Bennett nervously waved to Professor Jeritza, who looked away without a word.

Behind them, though, much to Bennett's surprise, were the three leaders. The duo's house leader, Claude cheerfully gave them a smirk and thumbs-up, but Bennett's attention was focused on Edelgard, who was carefully watching them with a small smile. Professor Manuela and Edelgard. Those two were the people he had to impress today.

At that moment, Bennett heard a voice come from below him. "Uh… Good luck out there."

Bennett turned to see Lysithea giving him a shy smile. He felt happy that she decided to talk to him, but as he noticed Edelgard watching closely, he felt the need to push her away. "I don't need luck. But good luck to you."

Lysithea bit her lip. "Fine. Be that way!" she yelled as she bitterly stormed to the other side of the grounds.

Bennett frowned as she walked away. "Yeah… that was too much... I should probably apo... " he said under his breath, stopping when he saw Lysithea walk farther away. "... logize." Bennett bit his lip and stood at the other end. _Who am I kidding. She's the one who'll be beaten anyway. I didn't need to do anything._ He thought to himself.

Manuela stood up, with her papers in hand. "You may begin."

In an instant, Bennett furiously cast a bout of wind magic at Lysithea.

With ease, Lysithea waved her arms in front of her, and the strong magical breeze dissipated around her without a scratch. Her feet lifted off the ground. As she floated in the air, she began thrusting balls of dark magic at him, which quickly flew across the grounds towards Ben. The young man desperately rolled and sprinted past the balls, one by one. Finally, Lysithea watched him carefully and aimed for where he was headed.

The last ball hit Bennett in the shoulder. He staggered back as he gripped the stinging spot. Still, his arm jerked up, and he called upon the spell Thoron. A bright beam of magic in her direction, but Lysithea flew around it. Bennett's eyes widened as he tried casting it again. Another miss. How could he miss it twice in a row?

Lysithea cast another ball of magic towards him. However, this time, as Ben skidded backwards, he held his ground and focused. He looked above and focused to create thunder magic. It wasn't likely to hit her, but he had to try.

He jerked his arm up and briefly focused his stare on the area above her. Suddenly, the two heard a spark. Then, a magical lightning bolt flew down and successfully struck the girl, sending her straight to the ground with a thud.

Shocked that he had succeeded, he scrambled up, panting. His head jolted towards Edelgard… who was, much to his disappointment, looking at the fallen Lysithea. They were all looking at her at that moment.

Of course they were. That's how it had always been, with Byleth. With Leonie. And now her, too. He was always second.

But not anymore. Now, he was determined to make it his time. He hastily casted balls of fire magic straight at her. As she quickly rose, the balls collided with her. Her face became covered with small burns, but her eyes still shone with persistence.

Suddenly, a swarm of black magic appeared around Bennett. He felt his strength slowly leaving his body. He recognized the draining spell instantly: Nosferatu. Lysithea held the spell on him, her feet remaining firmly planted to the ground as she watched Bennett's knees begin to shake.

Sweat streamed down Bennett's cheeks as his knees crumbled beneath him. As he weakened, Lysithea continued to grow stronger. No, this couldn't be it. I have to do something. _But what could I do at this point? I'm finished, and there's nothing I can do._ He thought to himself. _But still…!_

Bennett slowly raised his hand and focused on the girl standing tall in front of him. With his last bit of strength left, he cast the Nosferatu spell on her in return, hoping that that would be enough. He watched Lysithea's startled face as she turned her attention to the streams of dark energy surrounding her. Much to his surprise, his short breaths became longer and fuller. Hsi eyes widened as he realized that he had a stronger hold on her than she did on him. He was, albeit slowly, getting some of his energy back.

Lysithea was surprised he managed to cast a spell as his own strength was being depleted. Still, this had to end soon. As she maintained her left hand holding the nosferatu, her right hand flew up. She felt her body sink as she left one hand free, but this was all necessary. She had to use another spell to finish this.

She had to use Dark Spikes.

When Bennett had a chance to regain more strength, he left only one of his hands holding the spell. He held his left hand aside, preparing to cast a gust of wind magic at her.

But then, it happened. To his shock, gigantic but narrow, dark purple spikes materialized around him in the vicinity. They all pointed downward and straight at him. He had to run… but it was too late for that. He'd have been too exhausted to run, or dodge them however he could at this point.

In an instant, the spikes flew towards him.

This was it.

He lifted his hand and shot one small but futile last burst of wind magic. But straight after, the spikes tore through his clothes and left burns all over his body.

Done for. He was done for.

The arms sank. The knees gave out once again. The head pounded relentlessly. Finally, the boy himself fell forward and slammed against the ground. He couldn't move a muscle.

"TIME!" someone had called out.

Footsteps. Someone was coming.

His chest sharply stung him constantly, as if there was still a fire on him, slowly burning him away. Someone moved his chest over. All the tired man could see and hear were blurry shadows and muffled voices. At that moment, he felt a hand gripping his head, while another hand flew over his forehead. Then, a bright green light softly shone above him.

The pounding stopped and his vision cleared a little. He saw enough to see his very own opponent, looming over him as she healed him slowly.

"I'm sorry," he heard her tell someone else, "I didn't know he'd take the entire hit like that."

The female professor's voice rang through next. "It's all right. These things happen in the duel round all the time. These wounds aren't that bad. He'll be fine if we can just get him to the infirmary."

"I'll be happy to take him to the infirmary." Dimitri remarked.

Bennett felt himself lifted up like a feather. Dazed, he slowly shifted his gaze to Dimitri's sleeves, baffled. _What is under that armor? He doesn't look that strong…_ he thought to himself as he was quickly hauled to the infirmary.

* * *

Bennett lied in the silent room, his chest and forehead both tightly wrapped with bandages. He lost. In front of the professors. In front of Edelgard. And worse, he had to be carried away. _What a crushing defeat. There's no way I can come back from that._ He told himself as he noticed a burn mark peeking out of a bandage on his arm.

A pain surged in his back as he pulled himself up. With all of his strength, he tried to pull himself off the bed. Suddenly, he heard a shrill voice. "What-NO! Sit back down! You don't have time to play these games, go sit and rest already!"

Startled, Bennett dropped back down on the bed. He cried out in pain. He noticed Lysithea rush over from behind him as he laid limply on the bed. "Oh no, oh no... I'll get Professor Manuela, you sit right here!"

"I-it's fine. Leave it," Bennett groaned, "I can-"

Before he could finish, Lysithea bolted out of the room.

Pathetic. That's all Bennett could tell himself as he stared at the ceiling.

He should've just picked up the lance like his dad had wanted. Pathetic.

He thought he was capable of picking the Black Eagles, the best house, and becoming a part of the Empire, when he was nowhere close to being worthy of such things. Pathetic.

Lysithea was younger than everyone else and yet… she was one of the most powerful mages he had ever seen. And he insulted and underestimated her. Pathetic.

Who was he kidding? Nothing was going to become of him.

Pathetic.

That's what he was.

Pathetic.

* * *

**Author's Note: Hi there!**

**First off, a special thanks to Abracadoozles (on fanfiction.net) for being my beta reader.**

**I'd been hearing quite a bit from the previous parts about Bennett not being the best person, which is very much intended. I also intended, though, for this next part to dive a bit more into his character, so I hope it was insightful.**

**Thank you so much again for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)**


	6. Bonds

Several students were out and about enjoying a sunny day at Garreg Mach. However, Byleth wasn't interested in talking to any of them until after her duel with Hubert. Getting to know people like Dimitri and Mercedes was enjoyable, but talking took too much energy out of her too. She'd have to worry about anyone finding out about her nickname. She'd have to focus on not saying something silly, like 'Noodles'. She'd have to worry about people stealing her beloved desserts. And, of course, she'd have to concern herself with her face, which remained as expressionless as ever. People wouldn't be able to understand her, and she didn't expect them to try.

She would put herself through the trouble if only to see her brother's match. However, only the professors and house leaders were watching the fights, and she knew that her brother wouldn't have wanted her around.

She would inevitably have to try talking to others more later, but not today. Today was her day to relax and be on her own. Doing it would surely just take all of her worries away…

Still, the journey was intimidating in itself, since, to get a fishing rod, she had to face a muscular man who towered over her. Sweat slowly streamed down her cheeks as she blankly stared at him. "So! Ya wanna fish today. Right, bud?"

Byleth quickly nodded.

The man grinned at her. "Well then, buckle up! Just hang on a minute while I get you a lil' fishing rod here, yeah?"

The young woman looked down at the stoned flooring as the man handed over a fishing rod from the stand nearby.

"Now, you can fish… just about anywhere, honestly!" the man remarked with a shrug. He gestured to the large pond. "I recommend the dock, but anywhere in this area is fine."

Byleth nodded again before slowly pacing on the dock.

" _You were quite hesitant talking to that man, yet you were comfortable with Lysithea. Why is that?_ " Sothis asked her.

_I'm never comfortable. I only wanted to help my brother back there._

" _Hmph. Do as you will, but you should realize that you will be spending the next year with these people. You must try harder to get along with them from now on!_ "

_Maybe later. Now is fishing time._

" _You continue to boggle my mind, young one. You really do._ "

_Aren't you… well, young?_

" _You take that back! I am no child!_ "

Byleth shook her head. She cast her fishing line into the pond, confidently standing at the edge of the wooden dock. As her teal bangs swayed from side to side, she felt the cool breeze lightly tickle her face. Having fished with her father since she was a little girl, she knew all of the tricks of the trade: which kinds of bait to use, what was the best time to go out, and, of course, how to reel every fish in. She always had to try her best to keep up with the conversations of the other students at Garreg Mach, but fishing was a different story. Fishing was her expertise, and doing so gave her a dose of absolute bliss.

She was here. No one could possibly bother her dagger-sharp focus.

Not today.

"Soooo, whatcha doin'?"

Byleth jerked her head to see Claude leaned over towards her with a smirk on his face. But as carefree as his face was, there was something off-putting about him. She noticed his dimmed eyes, both of which carried a slight hint of coldness in them. It made her more than a little uneasy.

"What...cha doin?" she repeated.

Claude straightened his posture and nodded. "Yeah! Fishing, right? Caught any big ones, lately?"

Byleth paused and suddenly noticed Hilda at his side. The woman had a friendly smile spread across her face, but Byleth had to look away. She really wished that the duo wouldn't keep her company. "N-no."

Suddenly, Byleth felt an incredibly strong tug on her fishing line. After stumbling forward, she firmly planted her heels onto the wooden dock as she slowly but steadily reeled in the fish. Hilda gasped the moment Byleth pulled out the eggplant-colored, slimy, flapping fish with glowing eyes.

"Yoooo!" Claude called out, "Looks like you caught a Fodlandy! That's the rarest fish around, you know that?"

Hilda pinched her nose. "Ew, that's SO gross! Toss it back!"

Byleth fidgeted as she wrapped the fish in the net. She knew that Hilda had a distaste for fish… perhaps she shouldn't be keeping the fish in front of her? The mercenary shook her head, pushing the thoughts far away. She knew that now wasn't the time to have doubts about herself. Today was her day.

But she nearly jumped when Claude nudged her. . "So, how does it feel to be a fishing master? Ehh?" he asked her.

Byleth was stunned. What a question. A fishing master? Should she deny herself that title, or should she just play along? Maybe she should just ask about him. But he was looking at her so keenly, so she just had to answer...

"It's... fine." she responded.

Claude laughed. "You catch the rarest fish at Garreg Mach, and all you have to say with that straight face of yours is 'It's fine'? You're hysterical! Man, the Blue Lions house is so lucky to have someone funny like you around!"

Byleth looked away. Hysterical? What was so funny to them? She was trying her best to talk to him. She pursed her lips, desperately wishing she could excuse her from the situation. thinking of how she could change the topic.

Then it dawned on her. "W-wait. Aren't you supposed to be watching the duels?"

"Oh, that. Well, a certain someone kinda got pummelled in his duel, so Dimitri had to carry him to the infirmary. Professor Manuela left too, so we all just kind of decided to take a break. But I guess that was to be expected, given the matchup."

Byleth tilted her head. "Who got hurt?"

"Your brother." Claude remarked while Hilda watched the tall man by the fish stand.

Byleth froze.

"Which, to be was kind of expected, considering-"

"HI BALTIE!" Hilda yelled to the tall man.

Byleth felt a sense of relief and panic at once. She now had an excuse to leave… but to see her injured brother. She rushed over to Hilda. "You know him. Give this stuff to him. Thanks. Bye." she told her before shoving the fish and equipment in her arms and dashing away.

The moment Hilda smelled the fish in her arms, her nose wrinkled. "Uh, no. I'm not doing this. Claude? Take it." she commanded her snickering friend.

"Nope! Have fun with that."

* * *

Bennett closed his eyes. A searing pain continued to plague his body. He couldn't move. Suddenly, he heard the door to the infirmary slam open. He turned his head slightly to see his sister, watching him with her normal, unfeeling stare. Her violet-blue eyes seemed to see right through him. When he saw his sister open her mouth, he braced himself for those terrible words. _Pathetic. Pathetic._ But the only words that escaped her lips were, "Are you okay?"

Bennett looked off to the side. "Humiliating…" he muttered under his breath.

Byleth tilted her head. "Humiliating?"

"I… couldn't beat her. Now everyone's going to talk about how I couldn't even beat a little girl. I'm finished." he spoke in a low voice. He raised his eyebrows, and his gaze shifted towards her, "When are you going on? It's the afternoon, after all."

"I have to go in an hour." Byleth quietly replied with a nod. After a moment of silence, she sat down beside him. "Did you try your best?"

Bennett let out a frustrated sigh. "My best doesn't matter. What _really_ matters is results. … Results that I failed to deliver."

"But you can someday. Even if that day isn't today." she told him with a calm voice, "Ask Lysithea to help you."

"You're kidding."

"I am not."

"Your logic, it's just so... strange." His nose wrinkled. "Do you even get what would happen? What would it look like to other people if they saw me?"

"You were already beaten _anyway_."

Bennett stared at the ceiling in silence. He knew she was right.

"You have nothing to lose." Byleth continued, "We all start somewhere. _You_ can start somewhere."

"And that starts with a girl who's three whole years younger than me." he replied incredulously.

"Yes. It does. And you have nothing to lose. Just… talk to her."

Bennett didn't say a word. Finally, after a pause, Byleth stood up and left.

As he watched his sister exit the infirmary, he shut his eyes once more. He wondered what his father would say if he saw him now. Maybe Byleth and Leonie would win their matches. Then, he could focus on them instead. As always.

Bennett remembered Jeralt's frown when he had cast his first spell. He vividly recalled the visible discomfort on his father's face about what would become the boy's greatest passion… it was hard to watch. Yet he continued trying to prove himself. But in turn, Jeralt only kept his distance even more, for reasons Ben had never understood. He'd always watch him turn his attention to Byleth's quick thrusts or Leonie's proud voice, saying "Captain Jeralt! Captain Jeralt! I beat Bennett at archery again! Aren't I great?!"

Magic was the one thing he had that no one else had. Suddenly, he was different from the other mercenaries. He was different from Leonie. He was different from his family. And there was just something wonderful about being a mage… something whimsical, something exhilarating.

But of course, his father had never seen things that way.

Not that that was a problem. He didn't need him. He didn't need anyone. When he'd get everyone else's recognition, then it would all be over.

The pain would all be over.

…

Or at least, that was what was supposed to happen, until now.

Suddenly, he heard a woman clear her throat as she entered the infirmary. He jerked his head to see Professor Manuela walking towards him with Lysithea trailing behind.

"Thank you for getting me, Lysithea, but there's no need to worry. He's going to be fine."

"You make it sound like I'm worried for him or something." Lysithea sullenly folded her arms. "Which I'm _not_ , by the way. I just still feel bad about the damage that I've caused."

"Well, whatever you'd like to call it, there's no need for it." Manuela replied as she unwrapped the bandages and examined the large burns on his chest. Lysithea's face paled as her eyes locked onto the thick, bright pink and red streaks running down his body.

Bennett raised an eyebrow. "Need to leave the room?"

"N-no! I'm no child! I can handle a few burns." Lysithea indignantly replied, "Besides, I'm a training medic!"

Bennett's jaw dropped. Manuela warmly gestured for her to come closer. "That's right, Lysithea, you _are_ training! And this can be your first lesson."

The young man's cheeks reddened. "This is embarrassing."

"Excuse me-HOW is this embarrassing?"

"How is this NOT embarrassing? First, you beat me, now you're going to be the one looking after me?"

"Now, Bennett." Manuela interjected while Lysithea glared at him, "We are all friends at Garreg Mach, and we'll do our best to help each other. You two should help each other more in particular, since you're in the same house!"

Lysithea approached him with little hesitation and held her hands out. With a little bit of concentration, the area beneath her glowed green, and Bennett felt his pains partly diminish Manuela nodded. "I saw you using that technique earlier. If you're on a battlefield and are farther away from your patient, then you'll need to use other kinds of magic. But when you're close up like this, this magic will close basic wounds and temporarily relieve the pain." She gave a stern look to Bennett. "Of course, magic does a lot of the work, but bed rest is often needed to make sure your pain FULLY goes away. You make sure to rest now."

Lysithea nodded as she focused her energy on the burns in front of her. Slowly and steadily, the burns closed up. When she released the spell, Bennett felt a small pain, but nothing compared to what he had felt before.

"I don't think you need these bandages, so I'll toss them away. You'll still need to sit here for a bit, though. Lysithea, can you fetch me a spare shirt from the closet?"

"Uh, I can just put my normal clothes on again. It's completely fine." Bennett remarked.

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. You really need to rest without such heavy armor on your body. … Do you not have a school uniform yet? I'll tell the staff to get you one after today."

Lysithea returned with a shirt in hand and handed it to Bennett. Before putting it on, the young man studied her expression closely.

Lysithea frowned. "What is it?"

"So. You're a medic, too?" he asked her, as he pulled his head through the shirt's collar "Is there anything you don't know?"

Lysithea scoffed. "I don't know lots of things. I just don't make a big deal out of everything like _you_ do."

"... Are you planning to enroll in the Black Eagles house?"

"No. Why?"

"I'm just… surprised that you're in the Golden Deer house. Isn't Black Eagles the best house? It's always ranked first place, for the past few years."

Lysithea rolled her eyes and looked away. Professor Manuela giggled. "Why, it's true that the Black Eagles have consistently come out on top, and that may be in _part_ to my teaching skills." After another chuckle, she stopped. "Oh, I forgot myself. I must return to the training area. But I will see the two of you around the halls! Great work today. And uh… Bennett…" she said as she neared the door.

The professor swiveled around one more time, blushing and fussing with her hair as she spoke. "If your father is… well, looking… do tell him that I'm available."

The man raised his eyebrows. "Uh… huh. Alrighty then."

Bennett and Lysithea exchanged looks. When they were the only two in the room, Lysithea sighed. "There's no reason for me to go with the Empire's house. I don't care for it at _all_. Besides, it's just a ranking. You'd do well not to get yourself caught up in such meaningless numbers."

"But you could do so much more than-"

"No, I could not!" she snapped, before taking a moment to recollect herself. "I heard you were new. Claude told us. You don't really come from one specific place, but allow me to enlighten you on something. My parents are with the Alliance, and so am I. So, I will stay with the people I'm usually with: The Alliance! The Golden Deer. So, that's where I'll be. Yes, this is just an Academy, and yes, the Black Eagles house may have ranked better before. But I came here to learn and help my parents. I did not come because of what might look prettier on my resume."

"But you're so much better than them." he protested, "I don't understand why you wouldn't take up such a big opportunity like this."

"Better than whom, exactly? You don't even know what the Golden Deer house can do, and you're already putting everyone down. It's stupid." she retorted, "Besides, you're a Golden Deer too."

"Yeah…" Bennett's shoulders sank. He hunched over in shame, his expression becoming almost as blue as his own eyes.

Lysithea bit her lip. She felt herself wanting to leave. After all, she was only two chapters ahead of the material the class was going to be doing next week, and she could get more done. But the card Byleth had shown her before flashed through her mind.

She didn't want to remain there any longer, but she couldn't stand to watch him sulk anymore either.

After a moment of hesitation, she tapped his hand. "Hey. Don't do that. You should be sleeping, not pouting."

"I'm not pouting." he stubbornly insisted.

"Fine!" she exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "I was trying to help, but clearly you don't need me here!"

She stormed towards the door. Bennett raised his arm in her direction. "Wait."

She stopped.

"Can you help me?"

Lysithea spun around. "With what?"

Bennett sheepishly looked towards his hands. "With… magic." he quietly mumbled.

Lysithea scoffed. "I can't hear you. Louder! Go!"

"Can you please help me with magic?" he asked louder, "You… you're really... good. Please help me." He bowed his head. What was he doing? Byleth's advice wasn't going to help him. There was no way that his reputation wouldn't suffer because of this… not to mention the fact that she wouldn't even accept. At most, she'd just laugh.

Lysithea looked off to the side for a moment. "Hm… Okay." she confidently replied.

He jerked his head towards her. "Really?"

Lysithea smugly held out three fingers. "On THREE conditions."

"And what are those?"

"One. Try to get along with our classmates more."

"Fine. Next?"

"Two. When I'm helping you, you have to do _everything_ I say."

Bennett looked away. To think that he'd have to be at this girl's beck and call… it was embarrassing. Yet he had no choice. "... Fine. What's three supposed to be?"

* * *

Before Byleth went to the training grounds, she hoped to find peace in the greenhouse. On top of liking fish, she had always had a fondness for flowers. So, when she heard there was such a facility here, she had to visit.

She hoped that no one else would be there. Talking to Bennett, the fisherman 'Baltie', Hilda, and Claude was more than enough for her. Anything else would be too much for the time being.

When she entered, she saw tulips, daisies, and roses all lined up neatly on the left. In the back were vegetable plants, from carrots to tomatoes, planted all around. Byleth felt her chest rise as her feet slipped into the facility. Her eyes flew from one side to another as she waltzed towards the tulips. She looked over to them and observed their colorful petals, the colors of which ranged from a sunny yellow to a majestic magenta.

Much to her shock, she heard a boy speaking in the back by the vegetables. "Lonato is the real expert on these plants, but I know a few things myself! Tell me! Were there plants like these in Duscur?"

She slowly turned around and tiptoed towards the entrance, silently praying that she wouldn't disturb anyone.

"I was just leaving." Byleth nearly jumped.

"I wasn't leaving." she defensively started. She spun around again, only to see a tall man rise before her.

He looked at her with solemn resignation. "There's no need to hide it. You don't want to be around me." he uttered.

The boy beside him leapt up, His shaggy gray bangs covered his forehead, and. Just beneath them were his bright, round eyes along with the freckles covering his nose. "Oh no, Dedue! I'm sure that isn't true." he insisted.

Byleth looked down. She didn't know what to say to him. _Another casual conversation. Oh no… what should I say? Should I give him a compliment? … No, I can't have the Noodles situation happen again. Maybe we could talk about the flowers instead..._

"Ashe. You don't need to bother with this. You also don't need to bother with _me_. I am from Duscur, after all."

"And I came from a life of poverty. But we are all friends here." his voice brimming with earnest optimism. He turned to the young woman. "We are students from the Blue Lions house! My name is Ashe, and this is Dedue. What's your name?" he asked her with a warm smile.

"Byleth. … Blue Lions house." she uttered slowly.

Dedue nodded. "You saved His Highness's life recently. I am in your debt."

Byleth pursed her lips, nervously praying that her lack of expression wouldn't throw them off. "Yes. Wonderful. Nice to meet you both."

Ashe stared at her in awe. "You… you saved His Highness? Wow! You're incredible!"

Byleth quickly shook her head. "It was nothing." Then, she relaxed her shoulders. It would be okay. She could handle this. All she needed to do was have a brief conversation with them and it would be over.

Ashe turned to look outside the greenhouse. "O-oh, is that Felix? And Ingrid and Sylvain are with them! Hellooooo!" he called out as he waved in their direction.

Byleth held her breath. Three more people were coming. Felix was coming. Three more people were coming. Felix was coming. Would she have to entertain all of them now? What if she messed up?

Felix did indeed arrive at the greenhouse. But much to her relief, he didn't pay her much attention. Given his irritated expression, he was, overall, just unhappy to be there. "What now, Ashe?"

"O-oh, nothing! I just wanted to say hello."

Trailing straight behind Felix was a girl with blonde hair tied into a large braid trailing down her back. She gave Ashe a smile, but that smile quickly faded when she noticed Dedue. Still, the attention wasn't on Byleth, and that was all she could ask for.

But her hopes of remaining unnoticed were dashed when the third person entered the greenhouse. His orange hair was bright and tousled, matching his easygoing smile. She patiently waited for him to focus on anything else… but much to her dread, his brown eyes did indeed fixate on her. _Be cool._ She thought to herself. _Be cool. Do not think of noodles. There aren't even noodles here! But don't say something similar. Anything but noodles. Anything but noodles._

"Noodles." she blurted out. She slapped her hand over her mouth.

There was silence for a moment. Byleth nervously looked to Felix, who had already rolled his eyes and focused on the vegetable plants. She was relieved that his attention wasn't on her, but everyone else gave her confused stares. Oh, noodles...

Suddenly, the man with orange hair chuckled. "Oh? Is a marvelous beauty like you asking me out? Well- if so-then you're quick on your feet. I like it. And... I accept the offer." he confidently remarked, with a smirk nd a wink to follow.

Byleth didn't say anything as she continued to process his words. What was he going on about? She didn't ask him out. Where was she supposed to ask him to, exactly? Would it be weird to even ask about that?

"Sylvain! You have to stop with this skirt chasing nonsense!" the girl yelled. She looked to Felix for support. "Right, Felix?"

"Ingrid's right." Felix stated. Ingrid nodded with approval.

Then he continued. "That's my battle partner you're hitting on. If you scare her away, then _you'll_ be my next opponent in her stead."

"Felix!" Ingrid scolded him.

"Hey, I'm down to train anytime you want! … If you promise that we can have an audience full of girls around. I gotta impress the ladies at all times!" Sylvain stated.

"Aren't you still with Sally?" Ingrid quietly asked.

"We broke up this morning." Sylvain told her with a small shrug. "It was quite heartbreaking."

Ingrid's round, green eyes narrowed at him. "You don't _sound_ heartbroken, Sylvain."

Sylvain melodramatically pressed his chest. "Ingrid, my dearest friend! Of COURSE I was heartbroken." He grinned at Byleth. "But after falling head over heels for this _gorgeous_ woman, my heart just couldn't help but flutter again. What do you say to that, my lady? Shall we head out into town? We could discuss lots of things! Like tea! And… marriage."

Byleth bit her lip. Marriage? Why would he talk about it with her? What would there have even been to talk about? Ingrid then smacked Sylvain in the head, which confused her even more. She wasn't married, so was he married? Unless… he wanted to marry her?

She just didn't understand anything, and she felt too confused and flustered to even know what to say. All she wanted to do was fish and look at flowers in peace, but she was wrapped in this mess.

"Control yourself, Sylvain." Felix warned him.

And Felix's very presence worried her even more. She knew what could happen in a moment. For some reason, Felix was going to somehow tell Ingrid and Sylvain that she was the Ashen Demon. Then, one of them would tell Dimitri, who would tell everyone else, and-it was just too much. Without a moment to waste, Byleth shoved Ingrid out of the way and dashed out of the greenhouse.

Ingrid called out, "Wait! Please don't go!"

Byleth sprinted towards the greenhouse exit. She would have been late by this point, and she might as well just head in.

She charged straight into the training arena's doors as soon as she got there.

Boom.

The doors flew open in front of her.

But then, she skidded to a stop, panting.

The professors, Dimitri, and Edelgard were staring at her with wide eyes, startled by the interruption. Byleth then slowly turned her attention to Claude, who was frozen in combat with a purple-haired noble. The noble stared at her, stunned. Realizing the situation he was in, Claude kicked the noble down and pinned him onto the ground.

"SWEET! Thanks Byleth!" Claude happily exclaimed. "No offense, Lorenz."

"Of course you would take advantage of the situation, you… scandalous fraud!" Lorenz uttered bitterly, "PROFESSORS! I CALL FOUL PLAY!"

Professor Jeritza looked down at his papers. "You must be aware of your surroundings at all times until the battle is over. The battle wasn't finished yet. Claude wins."

"I should have known that Claude would take advantage of the rules in such a foolish, dishonorable manner..." The noble glared at Byleth. "This is all your fault! Why did you have to come in here? Do you have no remorse whatsoever?"

"I-I'm sorry." Byleth pleaded.

Lorenz scoffed. "You don't SOUND sorry! Hmph! How ridiculous."

The young woman's eyes fell to the ground. She walked outside and leaned against the wall, sliding down it miserably. While resting her head against the concrete, she closed her eyes and felt a breeze against her face.

Finally.

She was alone again.

A few minutes later, she heard the door creak. Her shoulders sank.

"Er… p-please, forgive me for coming here. I just wanted to see how you were doing."

It was Dimitri. Byleth's eyes flew open. Still, she tried to avoid looking at him in the eye. "I'm fine."

"Hm…" The young prince kneeled down in front of her. "Are you sure of that? You don't sound fine."

Byleth looked up to him, surprised. "You can tell?"

"Well, you burst in, and suddenly left, so…" Dimitri started, "It is a foolish thing to address, I know. But I suppose that I would be more comfortable if I truly knew that you were okay." he told her, gazing at her with sincerity.

Byleth and Dimitri continued looking at each other for a moment. Byleth then broke eye contact. "This is weird."

"Weird?" Dimitri asked, furrowing his eyebrows. He turned away to think for another moment. Then, he blinked. "A-ah, yes, I suppose it's strange for me to come out here like this. I'm so sorry about that. I will leave, if that pleases you." he replied.

The prince stood up and started towards the door.

But Byleth suddenly didn't want to be alone anymore. "No. Stay, please. This… is not weird. I am. I'm weird."

Dimitri turned towards her. "Are you now?" he patiently inquired.

Byleth nodded. "You see it. I never express anything. I can barely talk to people. I sometimes try, but…"

"You're overthinking this. Truly. We all have our quirks, and we all feel awkward at some point or another. That's simply life."

She looked at the ground, petrified of herself. What was she trying to tell him just now? She was bound to mess up.

Yet as she saw the prince sit down at her side, she felt comfort… comfort that someone was actually trying to understand her. Or at least that's what she hoped…

She almost wanted to tell him...

"I am the Ashen Demon." she blurted out. The young woman clapped her hands over her mouth. What was she doing? She wasn't supposed to say this. But… she wanted to talk about it and how it made her so uncomfortable.

Dimitri bit his lip. "The… Ashen Demon? And what does that name mean exactly?"

"The mercenary who kills without a flinch of the face. That's me. But I hate it. I didn't choose to be this way. It's how I always am. But people assume that I enjoy killing those bandits. But I didn't. I never did."

Dimitri leaned on the stone wall. "But you had to, didn't you?"

"... Yes. I had to. But I never liked it."

She watched the prince look towards the grass, his gaze forlorn. "Killing… it's such a dreadful thing. I never want to do it myself, but… sometimes, to save everyone, it has to be done. But I'll never get used to it. I could never trust someone who kills so readily, without any second thoughts whatsoever. Those kinds of people are… absolute monsters..." His right hand tightly balled into a fist.

Byleth wrapped her arms around her legs. "So... am I a monster, then?"

Dimitri smiled. "Not at all. I'm quite glad that you shared this with me. … I thought that you might have no strong feelings about… well, the... killing part of your former job. But I'm glad to know that things are different with you."

"Sorry if I gave you the wrong idea…"

"No, you did not. It was my fault for being too presumptuous about you."

"I always feel. Even if I don't show it."

The prince didn't respond for a moment. He looked at her thoughtfully. "So… how are you feeling right now?"

Byleth blinked twice and continued staring at him, stunned. "... What?"

"I said, how are you feeling right now?"

The young woman looked off to the side. "... Happy. Happy that you understand. And happy that you asked."

Dimitri frowned. "Oh? Well you don't look happy."

"I know, but..."

"Ha! I jest!" he cheerfully told her.

The young woman folded her arms. "That didn't sound like a joke..."

"Did it? Hm…" he nervously chuckled. "I'm sorry, I suppose that was thoughtless of me to say. Please, forget I said that. Next time! I will come up with a much better one. You'll see!"

"Please don't." she quietly told him.

The joke was terrible to her. Still, she did secretly hope that he would make another. She supposed that allies could joke around with each other, but that was something she knew friends to do.

And she wanted friends.

Was he her friend?

At that moment, the two felt a cold breeze beside them. Dimitri slowly turned and jumped up when he noticed someone looming over him. "H-Hubert! Hello."

"You're _late_."

"So sorry, Hubert." the prince began apologetically, "Byleth and I were just-"

"Byleth, hurry up. And… good luck." he told her, his eyes remaining fiercely locked onto her every move.

Byleth stood up. "Yes. Let's go."

Still, when Hubert held the door open for her, she didn't move. Instead, her mind was stuck on Dimitri.

Was he her friend?

"Er… Byleth? Is something wrong?" Dimitri asked her.

Indeed.

There was something wrong.

"Dimitri, are we friends?" she asked him.

Dimitri furrowed his eyebrows, baffled. "Er… yes, yes we are. Aren't we?"

Byleth turned around and shook her head. "No, I was just checking." she replied. Her mouth twitched.

Dimitri's eyes widened with disbelief. He rubbed his eyes and looked again.

Byleth's expression was normal. "Did I do something?"

"No no, it's nothing much… it's just-"

Finally, Hubert impatiently snatched Byleth away and pushed her inside. "In you go."

Dimitri raised his arm. "Wait! Hubert, please!" he cried out, but the mage indignantly slammed the door.

Embarrassed, the prince shuffled and entered the arena after them. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him.

She just said it herself. She can't smile.

And yet...

* * *

**Hi everyone! Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)**

**Sorry about the tardiness- I'm trying to upload every weekend, but the last week in particular was quite busy, and then I had writers' block. I hope to get back on track by next weekend, though!**

**This part was edited and beta-read by Abracadoozles (on fanfiction.net). Big thanks to them as always.**


	7. A New Crest

Byleth lowered herself, her large eyes fixated on the gray-skinned mage right in front of her. Hubert would indeed be an opponent she rarely saw: a mage. Since her father mainly dealt with thieves, mages were often not the people she would cross paths with. Still, she was aware that those who were stronger in magic were often less strong physically… which should give her the advantage. However, Byleth couldn't help but feel a bit hesitant about how far to go with this fight. He was a classmate, not a thief she encountered on a job.

But she had to try her best to demonstrate her abilities.

Manuela called out, "The match ends when one of you defeats the other- unless we determine the match a stalemate. Oh, and of course we will step in the moment that things get out of hand. You may begin!"

With quick fidgets of the arm, Hubert thrust dark balls of magic towards her, each containing bursts of smelly, toxic gas. Her legs contracted and extended rhythmically, repeatedly propelling herself away from the dangers being flung towards her. They were hazardous, but hazardous _distractions_. If she were to attack a mage with her sword, then she would have to get close and strike him where he was vulnerable. Nothing else mattered.

Byleth's eyes locked onto the bottom half of his body. With his arms busy casting spells, his lower area was wide open. When she finally neared him, she made a furious swing at his body. Her strike pushed him back, cutting open a slit through his clothes. _Just one more swing._ She thought to herself. Hubert stumbled back, his expression still remaining awfully calm. The mercenary found the confident look quite strange to look at. But that would not be the reason she hesitated today. She dashed forward again, except only this time, Hubert had enough space to cast his Mire spell.

Bright purple bubbles surrounded Byleth quickly. The young woman found herself running through globules of slime, with droplets seeping through into her armor. The professors and the other house leaders were stunned as they watched the mercenary's face, which remained unflinching as ever. It was almost as if the mercenary herself didn't feel pain.

But the droplets stinging her skin made the pain almost unbearable. Still, she had been worse. She aimed for the lower half of his body once again and skidded below. With a violent kick to his shins, Byleth noticed Hubert's legs shake. At his first sign of weakness, she leapt up on her feet and swung her sword again. However, her movements were halted when Hubert's hand, which was ready and warm with fire magic, caught her right arm and burnt through her sleeve.

Byleth felt agonizing shocks run through her body. _Move. Move!_ She urged herself. After a moment, she used her free hand to grab a dagger from her belt and send it straight into his arm. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, he let go. The two stumbled back from each other. Byleth tightly gripped her sword arm, which had begun bleeding. The arm was growing limp, and she found it difficult to even… move.

A small burn shouldn't stop her.

This wasn't a small burn.

But if her injury wasn't a small burn, then what was it?

Bubbles once again formed around the mercenary again. Byleth's thoughts raced while she frantically sought a solution. Her sword arm's strength was depleted, and there was not much she could do at this point.

Still, her father told her that, in a fight, she always needed to be resourceful and take advantage of whatever she could around her. But what could she do? There was not much for her to use: the training grounds' floor was made of stone, so she could not kick sand up in his face and take advantage of the situation. There was nothing she could toss as a projectile nearby.

However, there was one new thing she knew she could do. Byleth shut her eyes, praying that her idea would work.

When she opened them again, she was relieved to find that time had stopped.

Sothis appeared before her, her eyes wide with fury. " _What are you doing?! You cannot misuse my powers like this!_ " she yelled.

 _I need help to reverse this battle backwards._ Byleth insisted.

Sothis put her hands on her hips. " _So, that is how you plan to win the day? By cheating?_ "

Byleth blinked twice. _Are there rules against people asking for help from the small girls in their heads?_

Sothis sighed. " _This is ridiculous. You cannot just use this power whenever you want! You have to be careful._ "

Byleth tilted her head. _Why can't I use it all the time? Are there limitations?_

" _Of course there's a limit! … I'm, admittedly, not quite sure what that limit is, but-_ "

_But it's peace time. I'm at school. I doubt I'll reach the limit anytime soon. … Please?_

" _That does not mean you can use this power otherwise! This is for saving yourself, and the people you care about."_ Sothis shook her head. " _Mark my words, Byleth. My power is… here, but you have to use it wisely at all times. Life is unpredictable. You do not know when you're going to actually need it. Please, use it then._ "

Byleth nodded. _I understand. But while I'm here, may I think for a moment?_

Sothis sighed. " _Fine._ " she responded. As Byleth took a moment to catch her breath and observe the scene before, Sothis flew to her side.

_I could always switch hands. My technique won't be as precise with my left hand, but I can do my best with it._

" _But then what? If you want to finish this duel, then you should finish it quickly! You don't want both of your arms to be out of commission._ "

Byleth scanned the room again for ideas. She noticed that Hubert himself was exhausted- all she had to do was make one more blow before he did. Her fingers then traced down to the dagger she had slipped back on to her belt earlier. "I see what I can do."

When time resumed, the mercenary dropped her sword. Hubert paused, stunned at the display Byleth had put on in front of him. "Lovely. Now that your sword arm is out of commission, do you have any last words before the match is over?" he taunted.

The mercenary pulled out her dagger and sprinted towards him. All she had to do was distract him with a few fake jabs and swings. With great force, her dagger flew from side to side. And the moment Hubert dodged her second swing, she kneed him in the stomach.

For just a moment, all anyone could hear was Hubert stumbling and Byleth's panting. Then, he collapsed.

"And that is it!" Professor Hanneman called while fixing his monocle. "That is time!"

* * *

Edelgard watched Hubert vengefully clench the ground before standing up again. His gaze was fixated on Byleth, who was rushing towards Professor Manuela. Edelgard was aware that he had tried to figure out what was so strange about her, although it may not have worked out too well for him. Still, she was sure that this was not the only phase of his plan.

"Hubert!" Manuela called out to him, "If you stay, I can tend to your wounds pretty quickly."

"No need, Professor," he weakly replied with a slight tilt of the head as he hunched over, "I will take a potion and recover."

Edelgard rushed over to her companion and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Professor, may I excuse myself? I need to speak with Hubert for a moment. I will also provide him with a potion."

Professor Manuela pressed her hand against her bright orange lips. "Well, we are already behind schedule… but if you can be back in a few minutes..."

Edelgard firmly nodded. "Of course. I will return shortly." she stated.

At that moment, Dimitri approached the two. "Wonderful job, Hubert! Edelgard, would you like some help with assisting him?"

His tone annoyed her endlessly. Ever since the leaders had arrived at the Academy, Dimitri was always asking her questions like this with his expression filled with concern. They had not even met before- there was absolutely no reason that he'd have to watch over her. Did he find her incapable of taking care of herself? Did he look down on her?

"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me." she sternly replied. With a huff, she tugged her vassal out of the room. And while warily closing the door, she handed him a potion. "Well done, Hubert. Please, get some rest." she whispered to him.

"Lady Edelgard," he started before coughing, "Please forgive me for my incompetence. I swear to you that it will not happen again."

"Nonsense. Byleth has shown herself to be a force to be reckoned with. It was only natural that something like this might happen." she told him before giving the door behind her a dreamy gaze. She recalled Byleth's hair flying in the wind when the mercenary had rushed in to save her. Even as Byleth was taking down Hubert herself, Edelgard couldn't help but observe her focus and grace. "After all, she is quite powerful… almost more powerful than any other. If only I could get her to notice me a little more…" Her cheeks turned rosy in an instant.

"Lady Edelgard, more importantly…" he began.

The princess didn't respond.

Hubert sharply cleared his throat. "Lady Edelgard. Did you sense anything?" he asked louder.

She blinked twice, snapping back to reality. "O-oh, right. Forget you saw that, Hubert." she said sheepishly, "I did feel something again. And I'm not quite sure why that is."

Hubert's black bangs sank down the right half of his face as he tilted his head. "It _is_ peculiar. But much is peculiar about her… as well as her father."

Edelgard nodded. "Within only a few years after arriving at the Church, he became Captain of the Knights of Seiros. I heard he was even close to many important Church officials, including Lady Rhea and Seteth."

"Hm. I've heard from the gossiping nuns here that Captain Jeralt even married Seteth's very own sister… Sitri, was it?"

"Indeed. Although I hear that she's passed on now..."

"It is quite interesting that he had to leave so quickly one day..." Suddenly, Hubert smirked, which did not surprise Edelgard in the slightest. Ever since they were children, he had loved a good mystery. "Everyone was baffled by his sudden disappearance… but _why_ did he have to leave so suddenly from the new family he had formed? Doesn't that spark your interest?"

"It does."

"And for him to return with a daughter who struggles to express herself… it is obvious that there is more to this picture than we realize." he told her, looking slyly at the door behind him. He then quickly continued, "But I would be happy to investigate. Just say the word, Lady Edelgard, and I will do anything that is asked of me. … Truly. Absolutely anything."

The princess shook her head and sighed. "There is no need to be dramatic, Hubert. … But, yes. If we conduct research on the Eisners at the Church, then we may be able to discover the truth. Do whatever you can to find what you need to, and I will do my own work."

* * *

Byleth paced to her father's office, but in reality, she felt like joyfully skipping. She finally had someone who understood her, and she couldn't wait to tell her father about him... not to mention the fact that her duel was an absolute success. She wished to share all of the details with him as best as she could, while finding other ways to express herself. Stating her emotions as she spoke might work, although it could possibly become awkward. But what else could she do to get her points across? Perhaps he'd understand her happiness if she waved her hands around...

There was silence at the door.

Byleth knocked again.

Still no sound.

Then, footsteps. The woman spun around expecting to see her father, but, much to her nervousness, she saw Seteth. She stiffened up.

She was aware that this man was her uncle, but he was also someone she barely knew. Just what could she possibly say to him anyway? For her, now was not the best time to branch out at all. _Quickly, Byleth! You've got to go! … When it's appropriate._ She frantically told herself.

He briefly nodded at her, and Byleth did her best to force a lopsided smile. She had tried this before, so perhaps this time she would get it right…

Seteth furrowed his eyebrows at the sight of her unnatural expression. This one didn't turn out right… "Sorry." she quickly apologized, hoping that the conversation would end quite quickly.

"It is fine. If you were looking for Jeralt, I believe he had some business to attend to. As you are aware, he has… resumed his position as Captain of the Knights of Seiros." he told her with a partly disgruntled tone.

Byleth looked down. If he was her uncle, then what should she say out of respect? Should she just call him Seteth? Sir Seteth? "Sorry… sir. I didn't know."

Seteth paused before shaking his head. "Er… not to worry. He will be back, although it will probably only be late at night. Still, you could always speak with him tomorrow."

"I see. I will come back later, then." Byleth told him before looking away.

It was silent right now. Her saying anything would make this even stranger. Perhaps this was the best time to step away…

Her foot rose.

"So! Judging by the tears in your sleeves, I see you just had your duel. Did you win?" he asked her while she awkwardly balanced herself. "I… what are you doing?"

Byleth slowly set her foot down. "Nothing, sir." she mumbled.

"Did you win the match?"

She bowed her head. "Yes, sir."

Her last answer was met with his stern tone, "Now, what is it with this, 'sir' nonsense? There's no need for it. Simply Seteth will do."

Byleth nodded.

Seteth looked down thoughtfully, stroking his small green beard. "You are your mother's spitting image. But she was far chattier..."

The young woman stared at him blankly, but Seteth continued without any problems. "You do not act like her. No, you act more like your father. When he first came to the Church, he was also quiet and frequently kept to himself."

"I see."

"However, not to worry, my niece! There is nothing to fear!" Seteth straightened with resolve. "Your father may not have familiarized you with the Church- for whatever ridiculous reason he may have found- but I will surely teach you all that you need to know and make you feel at home!"

Byleth tightly clasped her hands together behind her back. She did not need to listen to this man's lecture. Talking with Dimitri made her feel better, but she was far from comfortable reaching out to others so suddenly. Still, her head bobbed up and down. Hopefully the conversation would end soon.

By that point, Seteth was quite pleased with himself. "Indeed! I will take it upon myself to make sure all goes well with you." he told her with pride.

"Maybe later."

"Ah, of course. You must be tired. And I myself am not quite available for long at the moment. … Not to worry you, but Lady Rhea and I are currently investigating claims that a suspicious individual frequents the Academy at night. The students have been calling him the Death Knight."

Byleth turned her head slightly, eyeing the hallway that led downstairs towards the exit.

Seteth frowned. "A-ah, but there's no need to worry! We are looking into the issue immediately, and everything shall be cleared up soon." He sighed. "… No matter. We will take one step at a time. Perhaps starting next week, I can start assigning you and your brother some tasks to do around the monastery."

Byleth tilted her head. Tasks? What kinds of tasks would she have to do? If it was fishing, or tasting the food at the dining hall alone, then that would be just perfect for her. But otherwise… "Will I have to talk to a lot of people?"

"But of course."

Byleth's chest sank. She sullenly remained quiet.

Seteth folded his arms. "I am sorry that you are displeased, but you must familiarize yourself with the monastery and the other people. Consider it your first chore."

Byleth looked up, searching for one last glimmer for hope. "Are any of the errands fishing?"

"Possibly. I haven't decided yet."

"Well, if you haven't decided, then you maybe should save yourself the tr-"

"No."

"But-"

"No!"

* * *

Bennett woke up from his nap feeling slightly more refreshed than before. He observed the sunset outside of the window and helped himself off the bed. He felt mostly normal, besides a soreness in the top part of his chest. With a newfound weariness in his eyes, he slowly walked over to his coat and folded it over his arm.

Then, he heard a voice. "Excuse me."

Bennett turned around to find a small girl, twirling her light green hair into curls. Her round, emerald eyes were accompanied by a lighthearted smile and a giggle. After a moment, she quickly curtsied. "Pardon my interruption! I have just been waiting for you for a while. I'm quite excited, actually!"

Bennett awkwardly looked off to the side. "And you are… who exactly? I'm not a nurse or anything, so don't get me mixed up with one of them."

"Oh! No, nothing like that." she insisted, "It's just that you and I have some very serious business to attend to. Some family business, in fact."

Bennett turned towards her. "Family, you say! So… you're related to Seteth? He's my uncle."

The girl gleefully nodded. "Yes, that is he! W-well, that is to say, he is my father. My name is Flayn."

"So, you're my cousin, huh…"

Flayn happily jumped. "Yes, correct! Oh, how I've been waiting for this day for such a very, very long time… I haven't had any family to turn to, besides my father and Lady Rhea."

The young man nodded. "I see. Well, I guess I'm some family, then. Nice to meet you."

"Yes, this is quite exciting! We could talk about a number of things! Perhaps literature or music, or fish…"

Bennett looked off into the distance, utterly bored to death. "None of those topics interest me, so let's… not."

"What?!" Flayn cried out. Her expression quickly turned from one of happiness to one of heartbreak. "You… you… don't… like fish? But it's the most glorious thing to have ever existed!"

He indifferently shrugged. "Different people have different tastes. Fish is not exactly a priority for me. You'd have better luck chatting with my sister, though."

"That mustn't do. You must have had some poorly cooked fish!" Flayn insisted, much to his annoyance.

"Whatever. I already got told off today about food anyway, so I don't have time for another lecture. I was just heading out, so I'll just-" he started while heading for the door.

"Wait!" Flayn called back, "Don't you know it's rude to leave in the middle of the conversation?!"

Bennett stopped in his tracks and sighed. "I'm sorry. But I do need to get out of here, and I don't think we'll have much to talk about, so it's really a was-"

Flayn sighed in frustration and thrust her hands towards the floor. "Fine, if that is what you wish! But there's one more thing I want to inquire... if you do not mind."

"What is it?"

The young girl sheepishly looked down to her feet as she lightly tapped the floor. "Do you… do you happen to know if you have a Crest?"

The man looked down. "No... I don't know."

The girl's eyes widened. "Truly? How strange... I would've thought that Jeralt would have found out if you had one or not. Crests are truly quite valuable in Fodlan, after all…"

Bennett was aware of how valuable Crests were. If someone had a Crest, then suddenly, everyone wanted them. They were said to have no shortage of marriage proposals, not to mention the undeniable amount of strength they carry…

He had never been told whether or not he had a Crest by his father. Whenever Bennett would ask for an answer, Jeralt would always dodge the subject, or just say that he had no idea. And given how much his family moved around in his later years, it was always difficult to fully settle down and look for someone who had the resources to tell him the truth.

"Why are you asking?" he asked her.

"Well, I… do not know whether I have a Crest myself either, frankly." she quietly told him, "I thought that if you had a Crest, then maybe I could have the same one..."

Bennett's arms sank. "You too, huh… it's a shame that we don't know anyone who can tell us."

Much to his surprise, her eyes lit up when he finished his words. "Actually, there is someone who can tell us the truth."

His eyes widened. "What?" he whispered.

"Well… you must be aware that Professor Hanneman is a Crest scholar, correct?" she replied with a smile and a nod. "He actually has an instrument in his office which can identify the Crest of any individual! I wish to try it myself, but my father has forbidden me to go, and I'm honestly quite afraid of sneaking there…"

"Well, you shouldn't let that stop you." he replied with a newfound resolve, "If we really do end up having Crests in us, then we'd be able to harness its power. Don't you think?"

Flayn frantically shook her head. "I can't go alone."

"Who says you're going alone? Obviously, I've also got a reason to be there."

"Well… if you're going…" Flayn began, her voice raised. "Okay! Let's meet back here at 9 sharp! Oh, and bring your sister too. We shall go together!"

* * *

Bennett grumbled to himself as his sister continued to walk by his side. She certainly couldn't be excluded from such an important discovery, but he dreaded the feeling that she'd outshine him once again. What if she had a Crest, and he didn't? Just the very thought put his mood more south than it already was.

He observed her expression, which remained as still as ever. He was aware that she couldn't help it, but it was still almost as if she was mocking him by this point. His sister could be getting such great news, and she wouldn't be able to say anything besides, "Oh. That's good."

"All right, you two!" Flayn announced… in a quiet whisper. "This is it! Let's hope my father doesn't find us…"

The girl spun around to make two sharp knocks on the door. Her eyes shifted side to side while she prayed that no one was watching them. "Please keep watch." she whispered to them.

Then, the door flew open. Standing there was, as expected, Professor Hanneman, fumbling around with a couple of books he had in his hand. "What is this? Miss Flayn! It is… quite the surprise to find you here. And I see you've brought some guests. Come in, come in!" he gestured. Flayn and the twins rushed inside.

From the carpet to the roof, the room's walls were filled with books. At the end of the room was the teacher's desk, around which were all sorts of contraptions none of them had ever seen before. With all three of them unsure of where to sit, they simply stood by and waited for the professor to close the door. They had nothing to do but look at each other and exchange unsure gazes.

The professor placed down his books and clasped his hands together. "To be paid a visit from the daughter of Seteth herself… Miss Flayn, you must understand yourself that this is quite unusual. Your father would not permit me to have so much as a small conversation with you."

"And he has not provided me permission, even for this visit." Flayn told him with a frown, "But after being unaware for so long, my cousins and I wish to know the truth of our Crests."

Hanneman looked to the twins, baffled. "Did… Jeralt not tell you anything either? How strange… I wonder why that is. But of course, I'm more than happy to examine your Crests! Who wants to go first?"

Bennett opened his mouth, only for Flayn to cut him off. "Me! I'd love to. Please? Please!" she eagerly told him. Her pleas were followed by giggles when the teacher pointed her to a machine in the center of his workspace.

Bennett sighed while his sister walked over to a window left open nearby. Outside, there was a large moon, which was covered completely in her view by a tree's dark shadow

"Ah, Miss Eisner, there's no need to worry about the window." Hanneman assured her, "We're two stories off the ground, after all. Everything you choose to reveal will be kept completely confidential."

Byleth nodded.

Flayn happily squealed. "Ooh, this is exciting! I can hardly contain myself."

"Now, Miss Flayn." Hanneman patiently told her while pointing to a large, golden instrument placed on the ground. "Please hold your hand over this device here."

Without hesitation, the girl held her hand over the device.

After a second or two, a projection appeared above Flayn's arm. Everyone stared, stunned at the design. A dark pattern appeared in the air, with several lines and curves crossing each other.

None of them had seen anything like it. Sweat rolled down Bennett's cheek. "Is… is that good? What does it mean?"

Hanneman rushed over to his desk and frantically flipped through the pages of his notebook, searching for the correct design. Alas, he could not find one. "Can it be?! A new Crest for my research?! Why, this is unbelievable!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. He then cleared his throat and regained his composure. "Ah, yes… Now, who's next? How about you, young lady?"

Byleth pointed to herself hesitantly.

"Yes, you!" Hanneman remarked, "Come now, don't be shy! This machine doesn't hurt a bit!"

"He's right, Byleth," Flayn quickly chimed in, "Please come! Oh, this is exciting!"

Bennett bit his lip while he nervously watched Byleth approach the machine. Byleth held her hand out. He hoped, for once, that he would come out on top. It would mean so much if he was the one to have a Crest.

Alas, reality worked out quite differently. Byleth possessed her own Crest with the same pattern. Hanneman happily clasped his hands together. "How wonderful! One of my own students, possessing this unknown Crest! You and I have much to discuss, you know."

"Let's not," Byleth mumbled under her breath.

Bennett's legs shook. Still, he confidently voiced, "I'll go."

It was simple. If Byleth had a Crest, then he should have one too. After all, Crests were genetic, and he was just as worthy as his sister was. He would have one. He had to have one.

If he did, then he'd finally have something to be proud of. He could use its power to harness his strength. And, when Lysithea teaches him, he could blow her away.

Yes, that's exactly what should happen.

He held out his arm willingly, with full expectation that a Crest design would show up.

There was a beat.

Nothing happened.

Bennett's heart sank as his hand fell to his side. The words, "I am sorry, Bennett, but you do not have a Crest." made it all worse.

Of course he didn't. Why would he?

Byleth watched Bennett's eyes droop. "I'm sorry, Ben." she tried to assure him.

"Your sorry doesn't matter." he snapped.

Byleth shook her head. She wanted to help him, but she was certainly lost on what she could do. She didn't care for Crests for herself, but who was she to tell him that they didn't matter? If only there was someone who could help him…

She returned to the open window she was standing by before. This time, though, much to her surprise, the scenery appeared much brighter than it usually was.

And it was all because a large shred of moonlight was now shining through a new gap in the tree's shadow...

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**This chapter was a challenge. Mainly because of the fight scene at the beginning. For me, those aren't fun, but I hope to get better at them over time!**

**As always, a big thanks to Abracadoozles (on fanfiction.net) for editing this chapter! I'm so grateful to them for all that they do. :)**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope that you enjoyed this part. Things have been busy, unfortunately, but I'll do my best to get back on the weekends soon!**


	8. A Lucky Shot

Byleth concentrated on the beam of moonlight. Just moments before, she had seen the tree's pitch black shadow completely cover the moon, only now there was a gaping, bright hole in the darkness. Could she have been seeing things? Was there a cloud nearby? She quickly looked around, searching for a cloud, but there were none in her view.

" _What are you looking at? Enough of these little games! You should be paying attention._ " Sothis scolded her.

_But that shadow is gone-_

" _What, you think someone was watching you? Didn't you hear Professor Hanneman? We are completely fine._ "

_But are we? What else could it have been? The sky is clear today._

" _Only from this view! Maybe there's another cloud behind one of these branches. Let us at least go outside and check to make sure there aren't any other clouds._ "

Boom.

Byleth jumped when her brother slammed the door open. Flayn called out to him. "Wait! Bennett, please wait! At least be QUIET!" she pleaded while failing to remain hushed herself.

She looked at Professor Hanneman. "It's all right, child. You can go after them. Thank you for your cooperation! I will see you in class."

Byleth nodded. As she approached the door, she heard, "Wish me luck!"

She turned around. "For?"

Professor Hanneman fixed up his green tie, his mustache slightly tilting upward as he spoke. "Why, I have a date soon! Claude set me up… oh, the house leaders are so kind hearted this year…"

* * *

Besides passing by the occasional pair of students, Bennett was all alone in the dark courtyard near the dining hall. The classrooms were empty, and all he could hear as he walked in the dark were his own footsteps on the stone pavement. As the man neared the dining hall, he stopped. He heard voices.

Coming around the corner, he noticed Leonie's fiery orange eyes, lit with pride. Besides her was his father, who wore his normal, tired expression after a long day of work. "I totally won today, Captain Jeralt!" she exclaimed. She thrust her fists into the air.

Jeralt gave her a faint smile. "I'm happy to hear that."

"You should've seen me! I used that lance trick you showed me, just like you said! Right? You know the one. And then? Wappow!" she cried, her orange hair bristling in the wind. With a skip in her step, she gripped the air as if it was a lance and jabbed forward. "Before I knew it, he was on the floor and-"

Bennett's foot slid back. _Is it too late to run?_ He asked himself.

Yes, yes it was.

For less than a second later, Jeralt's eyes spotted his son in the shadows. "Hey, kid!" he quickly called out.

Bennett wished he could have disappeared in the shadows. "... Hey." he quietly responded. As much as he could have wished to have left the scene, where could he run? Nowhere.

His frustration rose further when Leonie impulsively piped up again. "Captain Jeralt! I'd be happy to show you that lance trick I was showing you on Bennett. Want to see?"

"I am _not_ your training dummy." he retorted.

Leonie sullenly folded her arms. "Really? Didn't seem like that to me when you were fighting Lysithea today. You got creamed! And _I_ could cream you right now if I wanted to!" she insisted.

Jeralt nudged them farther apart. "Uh… let's not. Leonie, I'm going to walk around for a bit with my son now, if you don't mind."

"Oh, fine." Leonie said with a resigned sigh. Still, she wasn't left that way for long. A second later, she was already eagerly calling out, "But I hope I made you proud, Captain Jeralt! I want to become just like you someday!" as she entered the dining hall.

"You did!" Jeralt told her. "Take care."

Bennett folded his arms, refusing to look his father in the eye. He could only imagine the words Jeralt had for him, since Leonie had just let the cat out of the bag. But the captain said nothing. So, the two of them stood, only hearing the summer crickets chirping in the distance.

After a while, Bennett found the silence unbearable. He jerked his head up, his flat eyes dimmed. "So? What's wrong?" the boy asked. "I'm sure you'd like to go out with your drinking buddies instead of hanging out with me."

"Nonsense. I may go off drinking with them, but you're my son." he replied. "How did things go today?"

Bennett indifferently shrugged. "You heard her. I lost. Why do you need to ask me about it?"

"Because you're my kid." Jeralt patiently told him, "People can gossip their way to Almyra and back, but none of it matters if that's not what you say. I'm always going to want to hear from you first."

Bennett brushed his foot against a pebble on the ground. "And then what? You already know what to think," he asked before giving the pebble a furious kick. It flew into the courtyard. "You're going to tell me that I shouldn't have done magic."

"I never said that."

"You didn't say it, but it was written all over your face." he grumbled. He paced around in circles. "I landed on my face. When I always talked about what I was learning, I remember your face. You were always uncomfortable, and you'd never say why. Was I just that bad?"

"Not at all." Jeralt said in his attempt to reassure him, "I would've gotten you more help, but I was busy. And then, we were trying to avoid some people."

Bennett squinted. "Oh. Some people? _Some_ people? That's pretty specific. Which people?" he asked.

Jeralt nervously smiled at some students passing by.

"What are you looking at?" his son asked him.

"It… doesn't matter now." he quietly whispered, "Please, let's not talk about them. I know I haven't been the best about handling your… interest in magic. I would've embraced it, really, but I haven't had the best experiences with it."

"'Haven't had the best', 'haven't had the best'... Why do you have to use such vague terminology? … Oh, whatever. Fine. Keep that to yourself. I don't care."

"Hey. Come on. Don't be like that." Jeralt continued with a soft voice, "You're here now. You can study here and improve. I'm sorry I didn't do better at supporting you, but this is progress. We've talked about it, and I'll be there for now. Whatever you need. I _live_ for you and your sister. I had a pretty nice job here, you know that? But I left it and set out on my own as a single parent because I felt that it was best for you. I left everything for you."

"Why did you leave?"

"I… " Jeralt was at a loss. He desperately searched for the right words to say.

Bennett threw his hands up. "Never mind. Of course you weren't going to answer that."

"I'm sorry. One of these days, I'm going to tell you everything. Any question you have, I'll tell you all about it. No more hiding the truth." Jeralt firmly stated. He closed his eyes and paused. "Regardless of my personal feelings about magic, you should… you should do it. And I'm on your side with all of it. I promise."

Bennett shrugged and remained aloof. To him, his father's promises were all words. Even as Jeralt was standing before him with a sincere look in his eye, he found it difficult to give himself some hope that things would be better. "You know… I wish you had told me I didn't have a Crest. Did you really not know?" he asked him.

Jeralt frowned. "No, I didn't know a thing. … Did you go seek out Hanneman or something?"

"I did. With Byleth and Flayn. … I was the only one without a Crest."

There was silence.

Jeralt sighed. "You know… my siblings studied magic, actually. The Eisners were known for that, actually. We were nobles over in Faerghus. And our family had the Crest of Macuil. But I didn't have it."

Bennett bit his lip. "And?"

"Well, they tossed me aside and neglected me quite a bit. I was part of the family, but it hardly felt that way. In fact, I often looked like a servant instead. And Goddess forbid if I tried to cast a spell myself. Something was always wrong with how I was doing it. Soon, I was forbidden from doing it all and was even sometimes punished for it, since I'd 'make the family look bad'. And all because I didn't have their Crest."

Bennett looked back at him. "How'd… you deal with it?"

Jeralt looked at the stars for a moment before turning back to his son with a childish, cocky smile. "I got up and booked it. I was 16."

"You? Booking it? For where?"

"The streets."

Bennett's mouth flew open. "The streets?! Why would you do that?"

Jeralt chuckled. "I couldn't do anything in that stuffy, old house. So, I became a fighter in the streets. And people were really entertained! Especially the ladies."

"That… seems kind of risky, though."

"Eh, people were entertained, so I was paid." he casually remarked. Bennett sighed. Then, his father nudged him and proudly pointed to the scar on his left cheek. "See this? I got this when I faced a guy- I think he was nearly seven feet tall. Had silver gauntlets with spikes on 'em. I almost lost that fight. _Almost_."

"But how did you become the Captain of the Knights of Seiros?"

"Well… I wouldn't have, if not for your mother." The knight looked off into the distance. A soft smile crept on his face while he took a trip down memory lane. "I'll always be grateful to your mom for that. If it weren't for her, who knows where I'd be right now. Always remember. When things are not looking good for you, all it takes is one lucky shot."

Behind Bennett, he heard someone loudly gossiping. He turned to find a snobbish, purple-haired noble fervently exiting the dining hall while having a discussion with another. Trailing behind him were Claude, who was holding a large cake, and Hilda, with both snickering as they made sure to keep a few feet behind.

"And you know what made matters worse?" the noble said indignantly, "They were roommates!"

"Oh my Goddess. They were roommates." Hilda whispered to Claude with a giggle.

"Nah nah, don't laugh, Hilda. Lorenz is right. This is serious!" Claude remarked with his eyes wide. "They were ROOMMATES, after all."

Lorenz turned around and huffed at the sight of Claude. "Come." he told his companion before storming off, "Let us go elsewhere."

Bennett shook his head. His foot brushed up against another pebble. "My house is filled with a bunch of giggling, laidback misfits. That's hardly what I'd call a lucky shot." he replied miserably.

Jeralt stroked his beard and watched the students thoughtfully. "Sometimes, we don't know the shot is lucky until we try until we actually try it."

At that moment, the two were approached by a pair of mercenaries. "Hey! Jeralt!" one of them said. He slapped Jeralt's back, "We goin' out to that new tavern or what!"

"Oh, right. Yeah, I'll head on over."

Bennett raised an eyebrow. "Drinking again?"

Jeralt nervously smiled. "J-just a glass or two."

"Or maybe another jug." his son grumbled, "You should quit one of these days, you know."

Much to his irritation, Jeralt waved him off. "Yeah yeah. Last time, 'kay? See you tomorrow."

Bennett impatiently sighed when his father headed in the other direction. Still, his words stuck with him.

Lucky shot, lucky shot…

Were the Black Eagles the lucky shot?

They must be.

… Right?

* * *

Bennett found himself staring at his sister's door. After running away from her, he felt that he owed her an apology for acting out. He gave the door two knocks.

No answer.

"Byleth? It's Ben. Can you open up?"

Nothing.

Finally, after waiting for another moment, Bennett sighed and looked at a nearby clock. 10:15. _Shouldn't she be back by now?_ He asked himself. _Perhaps she's sleeping. I'll check on her in the morning._

He stepped away from the door and headed towards the stairway at the end of the West Wing. Before he reached there, though, he was surprised to find two female students scolding Claude. For once, the house leader didn't have a carefree smile on his face.

"Just admit you stole the cake already." one student demanded.

"I already told you. I didn't steal it. I got it from the dining hall. They're free, you know." he calmly told the girls.

"Really?" one of them snapped, "Do you have some way to prove that you didn't take it from another student unjustly?"

"You can go there yourself and check. I really have to go with this cake, tho-"

"Oh no. It won't be that easy for you." The student replied. She put her hands on her hips. "You may claim to be an heir to House Riegan but we know the truth. You're from outside of Fodlan, aren't you? Where did you come from? Who are you? Is your name even Claude?!"

Bennett stood by, watching closely.

"Ladies, ladies. Come on now, be reasonable." Claude calmly told them, "I am of the Riegan family. If I really am not of House Riegan, then how do you suppose I got my Riegan Crest?"

"It must be a scam of some kind. People from the outside nations are always up to no good." the student insisted, "Come now! Surely you must know. The people of Brigid are thieves. The people of Duscur are just… plain murderers. And the Almyrans areliars and absolute brutes."

Sweat rolled down Claude's cheek. "Look… I know you're not the only one to think this. Believe me, I've heard the gossip. But don't you think your stereotypes are a little… you know, over the top? I'm not saying that I am an outsider, but you can't just-"

The girls burst into laughter. "Not an outsider?" one of them cried out. "Look at the braid on the side of your face. Your pierced ear. Your skin! You are an outsider, there's no mistaking it. Now, just give us that cake so we can give it to the real owner."

Bennett bit his lip and stepped forward. "C'mon guys. Fighting over a cake? Calling a house leader a liar? Surely you must be above this."

Both the girls and Claude stared at him, stunned. "Why are you defending him?" one of them asked, "He's not a _real_ leader. I mean… he's an outsider. He's not from here."

"No matter where he's from, his bloodline shows he's legitimately of House Riegan. The details of that arrangement are not your business." Bennett told them firmly.

The girls stood back, their noses wrinkled in disgust. "... Hey. Isn't he the guy who got beaten up by a little girl?" the first girl asked.

"He was, wasn't he? I saw Prince Dimitri carry him out." the other chimed in with a snicker.

"How dumb must you have been to have lost to a small girl? Are you really that bad?"

Bennett went quiet.

"Ha! What a loser. … Well, I guess losers stick together." The girl cheerfully remarked. And with that, they spun around, satisfied with the exchange.

Claude speechessly watched Bennett's gaze fall to the ground while the two girls walked back to the East Wing. After a moment to process his thoughts, he finally spoke. "I'm… sorry that you had to see that. It usually doesn't happen often. Ha!" His easygoing smile returned, along with a wink. "Usually, when people make speculations about me, they save the gossip for behind my back! And there's a lot of that… I'm _quite_ the hot topic, you know."

"If you were more formal and put-together, then you'd probably command more respect, like Edelgard." Bennett sternly responded.

"Again, with the Edelgard stuff, eh? So, Ben. Is there something you want to tell me? Hmm? I'll tell you a secret if you tell me one of yours. "

"No." Bennett stubbornly retorted.

"Aw. I was a lil' optimistic that you'd share something with your old pal Claude, but fine. Have it your way… for now, at least. So, why did you help me out back there?"

Bennett sighed with resignation and shook his head. "Well, I'm stuck here now. So, if I have to make the best of things, the only thing I can really do is strive to get along with my classmates and improve the Golden Deer's status by making its leader look better."

Claude raised his eyebrows. "Really! So, you want to up the Deer's reputation, eh…"

"Mostly. I have to see if this is a lucky shot." he replied with a nod.

"Uh… okay? Whatever that means. But you said mostly, right? So what's the other thing?"

Bennett held up two fingers. "Two things."

At that moment. Bennett recalled Lysithea holding her thin, snowy white fingers up as she spoke to him in the infirmary. Two. Get along with the Golden Deer. "I have to get along with you. I promised Lysithea that I'd get along with you more in the future, in exchange for her helping me."

Claude tilted his head with his usual smirk. "Wow. Keeping promises to Lysithea the day after you told her to get lost? That was a 180 I didn't expect to see."

"Ugh, it's not a 180. I'm better than that." Bennett replied defensively. "Besides, helping you out was just the right thing to do. I don't like wasting my time on… well, people who I think would waste my time. But race is not a factor in that decision-making."

Claude kept one hand on the plate while he placed the other on his hip. "Can't say I don't appreciate that, but you still messed up with your logic. You snapped at Lysithea because you thought having an opponent of her age would damage your reputation. Am I right?"

Bennett bit his lip and looked guiltily at the ground.

"Now, I mean, I make fun of her age all the time. But you actually put her down when she's worked so hard to get here. Even if she's helping you know, I don't think that's something you should get away with."

Bennett sighed. "You're right. … I still haven't even apologized to her." A pang of guilt washed over his face. He probably had already ruined his lucky shot right then and there.

Suddenly, Claude leaned over and whispered to him. "Sleepover party. Infirmary. Be there."

Bennett jerked away. "A sleepover in the infirmary? I can't help but point out that you have some strange choices. I thought that if you wanted a party, you'd throw a ball and invite the entire class."

Claude snickered. "Throw a BALL? Nah. I'd rather throw a huge party. … Not that Seteth would even agree with all that. Frankly, I can't help but feel sorry that you've got an uncle like him- something tells me he's got a _lot_ in store for you going forward."

Bennett shrugged. "He hasn't done anything so far… Anyways, how many people are coming? With all of the friends you must have

"There are six other people coming."

Bennett's eyes widened. "Only six people? I… thought you'd have a larger group of friends."

"Yeah… I don't exactly have the biggest fanbase right now. The people who _are_ my fans are coming, sure, but besides them, other nobles of the Alliance have been giving me a hard time for one reason or another. Some do it because, like those girls, they think I'm an outsider who they can't trust. Others do it because they think I don't act like a noble. And the sure king of that discussion in particular is-"

"You. There you are. Just what are you doing up late at this hour?"

Bennett sniffed the air. A strong perfume was wafting in the air…

He turned around, only to find the purple-haired man Hilda and Claude were following before. Bennett's eyes dimmed at the very sight of his off putting haircut. His whole appearance confused him. On one hand, this man was trying to appear elegant, given his perfume and the large rose he donned on his coat. On the other hand, he was clearly over-the-top, and his haircut simply couldn't get any worse.

But then, Lorenz marched in front with the back of his head facing Bennett, revealing a close shave under the bangs on top.

Bennett squinted. It just got worse.

Claude laughed. "Speak of the devil! Look who it is. Nice to see you again, Lorenz. I'm holding a sleepover in the infirmary. Wanna come?"

"A sleepover? In the infirmary?! Once again, Riegan. Could you have gotten any more ridiculous?" Lorenz scoffed. "Also, just how did you manage to reserve the infirmary? Doesn't Professor Manuela watch over it?"

"Oh, Lorenz. Lorenz, Lorenz, Lorenz…"

Lorenz's nose wrinkled. "Claude? Just what did you do? What did you do?!"

"Well…"

* * *

Professor Manuela stood near the restaurant's door wearing a dark red, revealing dress. Her face was covered with bright makeup, and her hair was tied into a tight to the back. A sparkling, fluffy scarf wrapped around her neck.

Her face was filled with hope. Today, she would find the one. And they would go drinking together, then marry and have a family, and settle down in the countryside-

All of a sudden, she heard someone clear her throat. With a warm, hopeful smile, she turned to gaze at her future beloved-

Only to find Hanneman standing there, grimacing at her. "Manuela. Don't you think that the amount of makeup you smothered your face with is a bit… excessive?"

Manuela glared at him. "Hanneman. Isn't it a bit rude to tell others what they should be wearing?"

"I am merely advising you. Luckily, I will be in the company of a much more wonderful lady quite soon. I am on a date." he proudly declared.

Manuela guffawed. "You? On a date? You've gotta be kidding yourself. You're drunk, Hanneman. Go back to the Academy."

Hanneman raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you the one who's typically left drunk?"

"Hmph! It doesn't matter what you think. I'll have you know that I am actually on my own date. Okay? I was set up by Claude to meet a _fabulous_ gentleman tonight."

"Wait… Claude set you up? He set me up as well."

Manuela's eyes widened. "Huh. Well. Whaddaya know. You don't think…"

The two professors exchanged looks.

A pause.

They burst out in laughter.

"Of course not!" The singer stated with a giggle. "No one would put me with _you_. I have much higher standards, you know. I _am_ a former celebrity of the Mittelfrank Opera Troupe, after all."

"Perhaps. Although you weren't the most famous one there, if I recall correctly."

She gave him an icy glare. "Don't you DARE say her name. Okay? Today will be _my_ day to get hitched and have kids too. Maybe I was 20 years late compared to her, but you know what?! Today's the day! Today's the day. Just you watch."

"Hmph. That actually sounds like a wonderful plan. I'd love to watch you screw this up."

"It does, doesn't it?! Why don't you join me for a double date then?"

"Yes! I shall watch you mess up! Again!" Hanneman retorted.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

* * *

"Why?! Why would you do that?" Lorenz yelled at him.

"Hey! Hey." Claude started, "She was so upset over how Jeralt rejected her, so I had to do something! … To get that infirmary. It worked out for the both of us, I think."

Bennett frowned. "Wait… she asked my dad out?"

"You _know_ they're incompatible!" Lorenz protested.

Claude shrugged. "Well, now they can work out their differences!"

Lorenz sorrowfully shook his head while Claude gave him an innocent gaze. "You are hopeless, Claude. Absolutely hopeless… But now is not the time for parties in inappropriate locations! Now is the time for studying politics! You are the heir to the Alliance, yet you cannot take your job seriously for one second!"

Claude shrugged. "Jeez, Lorenz. All you had to say was, 'No thanks.'"

"And shy away from your unsuitability for the position? Never." Lorenz responded with a huff. "Look at you. Your hair is unkempt. You're slouching. Your shirt is unbuttoned near the neck. You are the very definition of being un-noble! And you are unfit to lead."

"Un-noble? Is that even a word?"

"Just what are you up to, by even being here? With that smirk of yours, I can see you're up to _something_. … I see you've been quite close to Lady Hilda recently. What are your plans for her, exactly? Do you plan to marry her? Have you spoken with Duke Goneril about this? Hm? Well?"

Claude's lips tightened. "You know, Lorenz, marriage is a number of years away. In fact, I think you should also-"

Lorenz continued. "She belongs to one of the most powerful families of the Alliance; your friendship with her would have not been a mistake. Why are you close to her? What are your plans for her, exactly? You plan to _use_ her for something, don't you?"

Yet the noble's accusatory tone was still met with laid back indifference. "Wow. You know, you're so _quick_ to-"

Lorenz held his head up high and folded his arms. "Hmph. I'm not falling for this again. Just the last four times, you've tried to turn the subject back on me instead of responding to me directly." Claude rolled his eyes while Lorenz proudly stood up straight, his eyes filled with determination. "Mark my words, Claude. If I let you get so far as to betray her or the Alliance, then I'll have failed my mission. But I have no intention of failing today! Or ever! For my name is none other than Lorenz Hellman Gloucester!" he announced.

Bennett's face reddened when some passersby gave Lorenz strange looks. "I'm… not with him." he quickly told them.

Claude rushed over to Bennett's side and quickly nudged him away. "Allllll right, Lorenz! We're leaving now. C'mon, Ben."

"IN FACT," Lorenz called out, "I will accompany you to this party, to protect all of the Alliance members from your malicious intentions!"

Claude snickered. "You just said a few minutes ago that you didn't want to come. Have my relentless charms won you over?"

"In your _dreams_ , Claude. Hmph. Farewell for now." Without another moment to waste, Lorenz strode away.

Claude shook his head. "If you're gonna come, then bring a pillow! And your PJs!" he called out. "Welp. There he goes again, so stuck in his ways…"

* * *

Bennett laid the back of his head on the floor, staring at the ceiling with his pillow right beside him.

 _Ah yes._ He thought to himself. _Me. My pillow. And the eight other people I barely know but am playing card games and having a sleepover with. STARRING…_

He looked to Claude, who was wearing a yellow t-shirt and trunks. He held his cards close to his chest. _Guy who tried to look at my cards five times in the last ten minutes. I smacked him for it._

He looked to Hilda, who was wearing a light pink nightgown and had let hair down. Her cards were laid face down as she fiddled with her food. _Girl who flirted with me for five whole minutes just to get me to get a piece of cake for her, since her wrist was "sprained."_

He looked to Lorenz, who was dressed in an exquisite purple nightgown that once again was donned with a rose. _Guy who has sprayed perfume on himself ten times since he got here. … Does he really smell that bad?_

He looked to Marianne, whose light blue hair was still messily tied up and had bangs covering her dark brown eyes. She… wasn't doing much really. _Girl who hasn't said a word since she got here besides, "I'm sorry."_

He looked to Ignatz, whose pear green hair was shaped into a neat bowl cut around his head. His brown eyes were wide with enthusiasm about the sketches on his notebook. _Guy who's not paying attention to the game at all. … I can see his cards because he can't hold them right._

He looked to Raphael, the large, blonde-haired man he had seen the previous day stuffing his mouth with food. _Guy who's STILL filling his mouth with cake. If not for Lysithea going first, he would've probably eaten the whole thing._

Speaking of which… he looked to Lysithea, who was not playing the game at all. She was just reading a book near the candlelight with half of the cake on her plate. _Girl who had no interest in playing games but just came for… well, the cake. … I'm still hungry._

And of course-because why not- there was Leonie, with a loose t-shirt and shorts. _Girl who has taken every opportunity she can to get one step ahead of me. … As usual._

"Hey." she told him, "Eisner. It's your turn. Make sure not to mess up. I've got two cards left, eh?"

Bennett tilted his head to see a yellow 8 in the center. Without another word, he placed down a yellow 7.

Next was Raphael. His mouth was stuffed with food, while his free hand had some more just waiting for him. He stopped chewing. "C-Claude." he said with his mouth full, "I forgot the rules to this game… again…"

Lorenz wrinkled his nose. "Raphael, why are you talking with your mouth full?! You're making me lose my appetite in mere seconds." he lectured him as Claude leaned over and examined his cards. He carefully swapped selected cards out of Lorenz's hand with his own, one by one. "You should be far more aware of the people around you! Honestly! Some people."

"C'mon Lorenz, anytime is always the right time for food. It helps my muscles! Say, Claude, this card game is boring. Why don't we go lift weights or something?"

Claude gestured to the deck. "Just put down a yellow card, Raphael. If it's not too late, we can go do some weights later."

Raphael then put down a yellow 5, with a few cake crumbs falling along with it.

Next was Marianne. Her messy, light blue bangs practically covered her downcast eyes. She silently put a blue 7.

Claude shook his head. "Uhh… Marianne, that's not gonna work out. You gotta put either another 7 or a yellow card down."

Marianne's hands shook while she picked up the card. "I… I'm so sorry. I can't do anything right…" she mumbled. "C-Claude, what if I don't have either of those things?"

"Then you draw a card."

Marianne closed her eyes. "Goddess, give me strength…"

Hilda patted Marianne on the shoulder. "Oh, Marianne! It's just a game. Let's go, Marianne! You got this! … Oh, it's my turn." Suddenly, she looked at her cards again. She concentrated on them to the point that it looked like steam was coming out of her ears.

Claude rolled his eyes. Lorenz frowned. "Hilda? Whatever is the matter?" he asked her.

"Oh, it's just… I… I simply don't know what to _do_ , Lorenz. This game is so haaard, with all these numbers and colors."

Lorenz's face was filled with concern. "Why, of _course_ , Hilda. Such silly games must not be meant for refined individuals such as yourself. Please, allow me to assist you."

Hilda gasped. "Really? You would do that? For me? Wow, Lorenz... You're _such_ a guy, helping me out like this! Okay. Show me what to do."

"Well… ah! You have such powerful cards! Unlike my current set of cards, actually. Anyways, you would likely want to put _this_ card down. Like so."

Lorenz took a card from Hilda's set and placed it down. It was a wild card. "Uh… huh. So, now what?"

"Well, now you put any card you like down! Come now. Take your pick."

Hilda stared at the card deck wide-eyed. She pouted and leaned over to him. "Please, Lorenz… you're _soooo_ smart! Unlike little old me. What do _you_ think is the best card?"

After a moment, Lorenz smiled and nodded. "Why, of course, Hilda, I _am_ quite wonderful at card games."

Bennett shook his head and leaned over to Claude. "Is she always like this?" he asked him.

Claude chuckled. "Oh, yeah. She knows how to play, but she loves getting someone else to do her work. Most of the time-especially for the boys- those kinds of tactics work well. I can see through her, though."

Bennett leaned back and watched Ignatz, who laid next to him drawing on a piece of paper. When he had seen him before, he was doodling, even back then. He couldn't fathom the boy's lack of focus. But he also couldn't believe what he saw next: an extremely detailed portrait of everyone in the room, including himself. "Did… you make that yourself?! It looks too good to be drawn by hand."

The boy looked up and fiddled with his glasses. "O-oh, yeah. I made this. I'm still working on it, though. It's not close to being finished, actually. I still have to paint it. But I'm glad you like it!"

Bennett focused on the painting. "Umm… so, what is this supposed to be?"

Ignatz frowned. "This is… us. Together?"

"And you included me?"

The boy gasped and sat up quickly. "Oh, I'm so sorry. I had no idea you didn't want to be included. I'll erase it, don't worry!"

He took the pencil in front of him and pressed the eraser against the paper. Suddenly, Bennett grabbed his thin hand. "N-no, you don't need to erase it. But… why'd you include me?"

"Well… you're one of us, right?"

Bennett frowned. "But I've been rude to you so far, not to mention the fact that I got beaten up by Lysithea."

Hilda giggled. "Oh, please. We didn't _expect_ you to win. In fact, we shouldn't expect anything from you. Besides, you're new, and you got _Lysithea_ out of all people. I'd say you were pretty unlucky, actually."

"Yeah!" Raphael chimed in with a wholesome smile. "You may have been defeated today, but we're all winners here! You're right where you need to be."

"I'm still mad you're here." Leonie told him with a frown. Then, to his surprise, she smiled. "But I'm also glad. I can't wait to beat you going forward."

"You…. you… you're not the only one to lose. I did too." Marianne stuttered whilst avoiding eye contact.

"And so did Lorenz!" Claude called out with a chuckle.

"Because _you_ played tricks, you foo-" Lorenz snarled in return.

"ANYWAYS!" Claude quickly continued, "So, maybe today isn't your best day. … And neither was yesterday. Plus, you yourself are frustrated with how things have been turning out."

Bennett indignantly huffed and stared at the ground. Why did he have to expose him like this, in front of everyone? … Perhaps this is what he deserved. Then, at that moment, he felt Claude's arm wrap around his shoulder and pull him closer. "But I can tell you this. We? _Want_ you here.

Claude held onto a squirming Lorenz tight with his other arm. "Claude, don't act like I'm part of your group or something. I'm not. Now, let go of me!" he insisted.

Yet the group leader continued, unphased. And we can only hope that you'll have us in return. Hey. Guys. Group hug around Lorenz!"

"What?! Ugh… Claude, you're insufferable." Lorenz yelled while the Golden Deer group members surrounded him.

Bennett laughed right along with them, until he remembered the apology he was supposed to make.

He turned around to see Lysithea still seated by the window. Much to his surprise, he caught her smiling at him. When she spotted him looking at him, though, the smile quickly faded. She held the book up to her face.

Yeah.

Things were okay today.

And maybe,

Just maybe...

He would have a lucky shot here after all.

* * *

**HOO! This was longer than usual. Totally worth it, though.**

**What a joy it was to write this chapter.**

**Happy 1st Anniversary to FE3H! To commemorate (and it worked out with the story haha), I decided to focus on my original house: The Golden Deer.**

**While it is probably not the house that was the best fit for me, I feel like players sometimes have a special connection with their first house, and I am no different.**

**Love the Golden Deer. :)**

**Huge thanks as always to Abracadoozles (on fanfiction.net) for editing this chapter!**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope you enjoyed this one. Abracadoozles and I surely did. :)**


	9. Fears In The Night

Bennett lied awake in his infirmary bed. He turned slightly to find everyone sleeping in their own beds. Each of them had their own unique expression, from Claude's satisfied smirk to Lorenz's gaping mouth. The room was silent, aside from Leonie's and Lorenz's obnoxious snoring.

His smile faded when he observed Leonie. _Well, Dad… I at least don't snore. I've got that going for me. How do you feel about that?_

He rolled over to find himself staring at the window. Much to his surprise, he saw Lysithea on the bed near the window, still studying. She held a ball of fire in her hand as if it were a torch, illuminating her snow white hair, pale skin, and the pages of the book in her lap.

After struggling to sleep for a few more minutes, he tiptoed over in her direction. He leaned on the metal footboard of Hilda's bed, which was the next bed over. "Hey." he whispered cautiously. He looked back at Hilda, who remained fast asleep.

Lysithea didn't look up. "What is it?" she whispered back.

"Why are you up?"

"Because I have to study," she hissed, "Now, leave me to do my work. I don't have time."

"Yes you do. You have so much time."

Lysithea shook her head and glared at him. "Just go back to sleep, please. I don't have time for shenanigans."

Bennett bit his lip and stood up straight. "I'm not here for shenanigans."

"Doesn't seem like that to me."

Bennett threw up his hands in the air. "Well, fine. Whatever. But I only came to this party in the first place to talk to you."

Lysithea frowned. "Me? Seriously?"

"It's true." he insisted, "I came to apologize for how I treated you before."

Lysithea and Bennett locked eyes with each other for a moment. The girl's eyes slowly narrowed. "Well?"

Bennett quickly looked down, avoiding her gaze. "Oh… yeah. Um… I am sorry. I really am."

Lysithea sighed and immediately turned her attention back to her book. "I'm feeling generous, so I'll let you off easy. But don't treat me like some child again." she whispered, maintaining her sharp tone even in the quietest voice she had.

Bennett didn't move. Instead, he looked more closely at the book's title: Magic and Crestology. "How's, uh… how's the book?" he sheepishly asked her.

"It's fine. Pretty basic stuff, though. I already know most of it." she dismissively responded.

Despite her comment, Bennett saw the light in Lysithea's eyes as she flipped through the pages. Magic was clearly her passion, and she had been at it for a while.

Lysithea looked up from her book. "You're still here. Do you need something?"

"O-oh," Bennett stuttered. He took a breath, ready to say "No" and leave. Yet, nothing came out. He did want to know what she had to say about his lack of a Crest. Was he finished? Could he no longer become one of the most powerful mages anyone had ever known.

"I... don't have a Crest." he told her, "And my sister does. Am I really bound to be weaker than her and the others because of it?"

Lysithea's eyes widened. "W-well… having a Crest does have its positive qualities… but it doesn't mean everything."

Bennett tilted his head. "Really? Okay, tell me this. Do you have a Crest?"

"Well, yes, but-"

"There we go."

"Hey, so what if I have a Crest?" she snapped. "I didn't get here because of my Crest. I got here because of my effort, okay? I worked hard, and I continue to do so because I don't have time for shenanigans. I get right to the point."

Bennett raised his eyebrows. "Don't you think you're taking it a little far? Of course you have time. You're 15."

Lysithea bit her lip. "Okay, whatever. Believe what you want to," she quickly replied, "But anyone can be their best self if they actually put in the effort to get there."

Bennett clenched his fist. "But without a Crest, it's not enough to beat her…"

Lysithea squinted at him. "What are you talking about? Beat whom? Beat _me_?"

"No. My sister." he stated, "But also you and everyone else, I suppose…"

"Does she use magic?"

"No, she uses swords." Upon seeing Lysithea's look of annoyance, he quickly continued, "But she's great at what she chose to do, and I'm not."

"So?!" Lysithea cried out. Upon hearing her own loud voice, she slapped her hand over her mouth. Luckily for them, no one moved. She sighed, and whispered, "Look. You've got a long way to go. Focus on improving yourself instead of being distracted by someone who isn't even in the same field. It's such a waste of time."

At that moment, Bennett nearly jumped when he saw the lump underneath the blanket beside him roll over and sit up. Hilda stretched her arms and whispered, "You know what _else_ is a waste of time?" she whispered.

Bennett and Lysithea exchanged looks. "S-sorry for waking you." Bennett stuttered.

Hilda giggled while twirling a strand of her bright pink hair. "Oh, I've been awake the whole time. But it's no problem."

Bennett sighed. "Anyway… what were you saying?"

Wearing an innocent smile, Hilda placed her chin in the palm of her hand. "Well, you could totally work your butt off. But everyone—and ESPECIALLY your parents-could still compare you endlessly to your sibling."

"Um… I only have one parent-"

Hilda held up her finger. "Shh. Not the point, Benny. You could totally work your butt off and try so hard to impress everyone… buuut you could also just not do _anything_. Like what I do! I put in the minimum work possible."

"Yeah, but then I'll be far behind everyone else. I expect myself to be better."

"But doesn't that cause you stress? If you leave it all behind, then you won't need to fulfill any expectations, including your own!" she happily whispered, throwing her arms into the air, "And if someone asks you to do something for them? Just find someone else to do the job. It's as they say: If you want something done, let someone else do it themselves."

Lysithea rolled her eyes. "That's not how it goes, Hilda."

"That's how it goes with me! Benny, you have two options. You can work your butt off and possibly never make it to where you need to be. OR you could just release all that tension, and let everything go…"

"OR…" Lysithea butted in, "You could work hard and be better than just about anyone else. A Crest isn't everything, Ben. Many people don't even use theirs to their full potential. Even if you can't beat everyone, you can work hard enough to beat most."

Bennett held his hands closer to his face. He opened and closed his hands back and forth, wondering just what potential they really held. Was it true that, even with his setbacks, he could move forward and rise to the top?

He smiled and chuckled to himself. "Well, I hope that 'most' would include you too."

Hilda looked to Lysithea. She and Bennett both waited for Lysithea's scowl and the sharp words that would come with it. But instead, what Bennett got in return was far different.

He got a faint smile and "Yeah, I hope so too."

The flame in Lysithea's hands extinguished, and she closed her book. Bennett and Hilda exchanged bewildered looks. "Lysithea, what are you talking about?" Hilda asked her.

Lysithea shrugged. "I wasn't talking about anything. Anyway, I'm off to bed. Ben, if you want, I'll help you sometime tomorrow."

Bennett nodded. "Uh, sure. … Thanks."

He shifted his gaze to a smiling Hilda. "Uh… why are you still happy? I didn't take your advice."

Hilda giggled. "But that's how it _works_ , Benny. Did I expect myself to give you great advice? No, no I did not. But think about my proposition. Trust me: It's the easy life."

* * *

Byleth couldn't shake the image of the Crest from the machine. So, he found herself heading towards the library for answers. As much as she was ready to end the day and retreat back to her room, she couldn't help but feel curious about her Crest's origins. If Professor Hanneman, a Crest Scholar, was not able to recognize her Crest in an instant, then surely it wasn't a Macuil Crest… but if it wasn't that, then what was it?

Luckily for her, many students were not present in the hall. All she had to do was nod at the occasional passerby while keeping up with the brisk pace. She could make it. She took a deep breath and held her head up high. Yes, she would be ready to discover the truth… hopefully in solitude.

Bravery. Yes, that's exactly what she needed right now.

For her, dealing with a handful of strong albeit dull-minded thieves was no problem.

But holding a casual conversation with her peers?

Now that would take effort. And she was ready for it all, come what may.

With only a sliver of hesitation, she gave the door a small push and peeked inside. No one in the vicinity. So far, so clear. She tiptoed inside and hid behind a shelf. If she had a heartbeat, it would certainly be faster than ever before. But luckily for her, no one was in sight. Perfect. Now was her time to research.

She let out a big sigh.

"Is someone there?"

Byleth's round eyes slightly widened. She inched towards the edge of the bookshelf, only to see Dimitri seated up straight at a table with a thick, red book at his fingertips. His noodle hair was the same ever, but his eyes were narrowed as he scanned the surrounding area. Her grip on the bookshelf tightened while she disappeared behind the bookcase.

It was just Dimitri… perhaps she should go say hello. Just a small wave. Surely he'd understand. They were friends, after all. He had said so himself.

However, her feet remained planted to the ground. … She just couldn't do it. Not now, at least. And to make matters more stressful, Sothis's irritated voice rang through her head. " _Come, now! What's keeping you? Move! Go speak to him!_ " she demanded.

Instead, much to her own and Sothis's frustration, she snuck past the library door and rushed back to her room, without so much as a look behind her.

* * *

Wearing his typical, serious expression, gentle giant Dedue Molinaro paced around the dormitory halls. He had not seen his liege, Prince Dimitri, since dinner. But he had to find out where Dimitri was. He was Dimitri's loyal servant first and foremost and wanted to see to it that the prince was safe and sound. But it was the middle of the night now, and he was still nowhere to be found.

Naturally, the first thing Dedue thought to do was check in with his closest friends to see if they had seen him.

The first door was Felix. He knocked repeatedly on his door, and much to his surprise, the man answered right away. His dark blue hair was left down, and he donned a loose t-shirt and shorts. The relaxed look, however, did not stop Felix from being his normal, bitter self. The moment he saw Dedue, he wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, it's you. You're that boar's little side show." he snarled.

Dedue grimaced at him in return. "Do not mock His Highness." However, after having another moment to collect himself, he calmly continued. "His Highness tells me that you were best friends in your childhood. If he were to have disappeared, do you know where he would've gone?

Felix looked away and scoffed. "Don't know, don't care. What a waste of my time."

Before Dedue could respond, Felix slammed the door in his face, leaving the retainer alone in the darkness. Dedue knew Prince Dimitri did not wish for any harm to befall his old friend, but for Dimitri to tolerate the sheer disrespect…

So, Dedue went to Sylvain's room for answers. He gave the door a few knocks. No answer. Another few knocks. No answer again. After another minute of waiting, he finally relented and walked away. Suddenly, he heard the door fly open and watched Sylvain rush out in his pajamas. Sylvain then stopped the door just before it slammed against the wall and quietly closed it. "What's up?" he whispered.

Dedue raised an eyebrow. "That took a while."

"Hehehe… Yeah, it was kinda… hard to get out of bed, that's all."

"If you say so. I am searching for His Highness. I have not seen him in his quarters since dinnertime."

Sylvain quickly frowned. "Oh, jeez. Is he okay?"

"That is precisely what I am trying to figure out."

"Eh. Honestly, I'd be shocked if anything could take him down. You know how strong he is." He smirked. "But if he had any sense whatsoever, then he'd have spent the night with a lovely girl. Unlikely as it is, it would be cool if he _finally_ took my advice. I wanna see a girl on his arm someday."

"I see. In any case, perhaps you might like to help me find him."

Sylvain gave a wide, sheepish smile. "OH, you know… I would love to, but I'm _really_ tired, and I think Dimitri is honestly fine. Ha! I bet he can even take on the Death Knight! So uh… if you don't find him by morning, then Felix, Ingrid, and I can take over. How does that sound?"

"That is fine." Dedue stroked his chin. "By the way. I figure you must miss the dates with Sally very much."

Sylvain sighed and pursed his lips together. "Yeah… Sally was my… she was my everything." His voice cracked slightly. "I'm really, really… heartbroken that things turned out the way they did-"

Suddenly, the door opened. Sylvain's face paled. A drowsy woman emerged from the room, rubbing her eyes. "Sylvain...? Baby, what happened? What's going on?"

"As you were then." Dedue said before leaving them.

The man continued on his way, thinking of the other companions Dimitri had. There was Dimitri's third childhood friend, Ingrid, but Dedue already knew that she'd want nothing to do with him.

However, he did hear Dimitri speak of another woman recently. What was her name...

The clock read 4 AM. It was still dark outside. However, it was also the time that Byleth awoke to loud knocks at her door. As the knocks rang out, Byleth jerked her head up, revealing a spiky, unruly bedhead. She felt her way out of bed, pushed herself up, tied her hair into a sloppy bun, and opened the door with her eyes shut. "Hello." she mumbled.

"I am sorry to have woken you. If it was not urgent, I would not be calling upon you at such a late hour."

Byleth slightly opened her eyes to find the solemn man from the greenhouse towering over her. Startled, her eyes flew open. She stumbled backwards, bumped into the table, and grabbed a book from the shelf with her eyes half-closed. "Sssstay back, I'm…" Her eyes closed again, and the book slipped from her hand. The man awkwardly watched Byleth slam on her desk. A second later, she snatched her book and snapped up again. "I'm ARMED!"

He nodded at her and held up his hands. "My name is Dedue Molinaro. I mean no harm." he spoke in a quiet voice, "Please, put down your… er, weapon."

Byleth blinked twice and finally came to. "O-oh, you're that… that man."

Dedue closed his eyes. "Yes. I am that man. You saw me in the greenhouse earlier today."

"Okay…"

"However, I am not just a student at this Academy." Dedue stated while his arms sank to his sides. "I am also a loyal servant to His Highness. I do my best to ensure his safety and be there for him whenever he is in need of me."

Byleth slowly nodded, her eyes drooping once again. She began rocking herself, back and forth...

Unphased, Dedue continued. "I have recently discovered that His Highness never returned to his quarters last night. Given the recent rumors about a deadly soldier coming close to Garreg Mach, I greatly worry for his safety. I was wondering if you happened to know of his whereabouts. I checked with his other friends first, to see if they had something to say…

"Dimitri's gone missing...? Well, I saw him in the library last night. Maybe he's still there…"

* * *

Byleth and Dedue walked together through the dark in silence. From time to time, she looked back at him, wondering what she could say.

Thoughts raced through Byleth's head. _Why isn't he saying anything? It has to do with my face, doesn't it? He's probably already heard about it… but perhaps he's worried about Dimitri instead… but Dimitri is still in the library then, isn't he?! What if the stranger who walks around at night took him? Would they want him for ransom?_

"I hope I have not troubled you." Dedue spoke.

"I'm worried." Byleth blurted out. She blankly stared to the ground, internally dying of embarrassment.

"I understand. As am I. But there is no need to panic just yet…" he stated. When they neared the library's door, they pressed it open slightly. Just as she did before, Byleth tiptoed in cautiously, trying to look into the library's shadows for any enemies.

"Do not worry," Dedue assured her, "You are His Highness's friend. As such, I will do everything I can to ensure no harm befalls you."

Byleth nodded. "I appreciate it. But one must always be aware."

"Of course."

Then, they both stopped. In the distance, they heard a person groaning in the distance. Byleth cautiously drew her sword and followed Dedue ahead.

Much to her shock, the person groaning was… Dimitri himself. He was lying face down on the desk he was at before, alone and shaking. The spot where his head lay was covered in sweat, and his fingers were pressed tightly against the table. Spread out in front of him was the same, thick book she saw him holding before.

" _Perhaps he was reading a scary story? Go on. Pick it up._ " Sothis demanded.

Byleth picked up the book, making sure to leave her finger between the pages that it had been left open to. Judging by the cover, the book seemed to contain a record of donations to the Church from the nobility. _Why would Dimitri be interested in this?_ She asked herself.

" _Hm. Was he looking at donations from his family? He is a Blaiddyd, is he not?_ " Sothis asked her.

But much to her continued perplexion, the book had been left open to records from the Arundel House- a family from the Empire. Byleth stared at the page for a couple of seconds, wondering why he held such an interest. However, her attention was quickly turned away when she noticed Dimitri continuing to suffer in his slumber.

"Your Highness… please wake up. It is all just a dream." Dedue called to him in a low voice.

Byleth arrived at Dedue's side, ready to help. No matter what, Dimitri had to be pulled out of this state. "Dimitri, wake up." She gripped his shoulders and shook them.

Suddenly, he jerked up, his mouth gaping and eyes wide with fear. "Please stop, please stop, I beg of-" he pleaded. His words stopped when he noticed Byleth and Dedue standing at his side. But more than that, he felt some kind of warmth… a warmth that quickly disappeared as his vision cleared. He noticed Byleth pulling her hands away. "I… I'm sorry." she stuttered.

A startled Dimitri observed his surroundings. After he found himself still in the place he was last night, he sighed with resignation. Those dreams… the dreams had come to haunt him once again.

"Your Highness. We were worried about you." Dedue told him. "Thank goodness you are well."

Dimitri looked to the ground.

But was he really well?

Was he?

* * *

Seteth tied his hair back and brushed the shorter threads behind his round ears. Then, without another moment to waste, he marched to the Archbishop's office with haste. As he passed through the halls, any giggling or troublemaking was set to a halt. Over all else-besides his family, of course-Seteth valued discipline, and he would make sure that anyone who didn't comprehend the rules would understand the way things worked at once.

But besides maintaining basic order, Seteth had many tasks to accomplish around Garreg Mach. He had to look over reports from the knights. Check in with the professors to ensure that lessons were going smoothly. Go over the Church's teachings with believers and students. Lecture troublemakers. Loom menacingly over the boys he noticed eyeing Flayn. Look after his only daughter… and now, his niece and nephew. It was all in a day's work.

For the past few nights, there had been a stranger frequenting Garreg Mach. Frightened onlookers who spotted the man lurking in the forest's shadows described him having bulky, dark armor, riding on horseback. However, this knight mostly stayed in the shadows. The one thing that was easily visible was his shiny, silver scythe, which glimmered in the moonlight as he rode into the distance. Beyond that, the details were unclear. Some people thought the knight's eyes glowed a bright green in the dark. Others claimed that his armor was covered in spikes. There were even some claims that the soldier would growl at anyone who passed him… but never speak. The rumors spread like wildfire. Consequently, the panicked students had been persistently pestering the knights for more details. They asked what he was after. They asked if they were safe at the Academy. They asked whether or not he was the harbinger of death itself. And no one had answers. Still, all of the rumors had led to one thing: calling this mysterious man the "Death Knight".

When Seteth had first heard of the Death Knight, he started a small investigation, albeit with a little skepticism. At the time, it seemed to be nothing more than a silly little prank some students crafted to give the others a good scare. He could certainly see Claude try something similar, at least.

But today, things had become far more serious than he anticipated.

According to the fearful Gatekeeper stationed at the front of the Monastery, some of his colleagues claimed to have spotted the horseman last night, and they left to confront him. The next morning, all of them were found dead.

This was no longer a rumor.

"Lady Rhea. Lady Rhea!" Seteth cried out as he slammed open the doors to the Archbishop's chambers. "We have an emergency!"

He saw Lady Rhea standing still on the balcony. When she slowly turned to gaze at him, her face revealed the calm expression he had seen her wear far more than any other. "Seteth… what troubles you?" she asked him.

Seteth hastily shuffled through his handful of papers. "We have an incident. The Death Knight is real-he murdered four of our knights last night." He shoved the papers in her arms.

Rhea slowly looked through the report. He continued. "If I may, there are a few steps we need to take to prevent harm to any of the students and Flayn. First, we must share this report with the students _and_ the Knights of the Seiros. Then, we should have a larger group of knights investigate the issue. Perhaps we can send a large squad of knights led by Catherine and Jeralt, or the Wolves-"

Rhea shook her head. "Calm yourself, Seteth. Stress only begets error."

Seteth sighed and bowed his head. "Right, right… of course, Lady Rhea. But this is serious. Between this and the 'Death Knight's' claimed appearances, it is time to immediately start an investigation."

"Understood. Whoever is behind this must be put down." Lady Rhea firmly replied. She turned to a nearby nun. "Would you go get Captain Jeralt for this issue? We need to have a word with him at once."

The nun nodded and left with haste.

When the two were alone, Seteth spoke in a lower voice. "Perfect. Now, Lady Rhea… if I may, I would highly advise considering bringing out the Sword of the Creator to help us."

Rhea's eyes widened. "The Sword of the Creator? Seteth… no one has used it for generations."

He nodded. "Indeed. But as you know, I am more than… well, capable of wielding such a relic. I would be able to strike him down in an instant, if I have the chance to perhaps practice, and-"

" _No_ , Seteth." She used her usual, motherly tone, but with a tinge of sternness. "Anyone who wields that sword is bound to be corrupted. That could very well include you. The dangers are far too great."

Seteth gave in. "Okay, fine. But we should at least tell the students."

Lady Rhea pursed her lips and raised her hand. "Not yet."

Seteth furrowed his eyebrows. "Why not? A few of them already know about what is going on."

Lady Rhea raised her head. "Then we should bring them in and ask them to keep quiet. We do not want the students to panic."

"But you cannot just hide-" he protested.

"I have made up my mind, Seteth." the archbishop said, her voice raised.

Lady Rhea had always been a woman of many secrets, particularly when it came to questions about her past. Even during the days following his own sister's death and Jeralt's sudden disappearance with the children, Seteth found Lady Rhea to be surprisingly quiet and calm, only depending on the Goddess's will that they would return.

But she was right. They did return.

Even now, from what he could see, Lady Rhea had managed her responsibilities exceedingly well. She had maintained peace in Fodlan for generations. Not to mention how she took in plenty of orphans-including himself-from all over the world. And, most importantly, she treated Flayn and the twins with exceptional care.

Who was he to question her, when everything seemed right with the world?

Fine. Perhaps a few secrets would do no harm.

Seteth nodded after a moment of hesitation. "A-as you say, Lady Rhea. … As you say."

* * *

**Author's Note: As always, a very special thanks to Acrabadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter.  
**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope you enjoyed. :)**

**I was going try to fit Annette and Mercedes in here but it didn't happen... However, more of the other Blue Lions should be coming next time!**

**I also plan to put focus on the Black Eagles later on, but I want to flesh out the Golden Deer/Blue Lions before I move to the third house.**

**As for the fourth house... well, Seteth did mention them briefly, but they have a different role in this story.**

**That's all, folks!**


	10. Blue Bonds

Room dusted? Check. Homework done in advance? Check. Spell books checked out from the library? No, she still needed to do that.

Perhaps she could sneak it in after class but before fencing practice. There was a ten minute window there, and that was the largest interval she had in her schedule, besides lunch…

Still, she could always eat her lunch on the way, if that would give her the time she needed to look for her books.

Her schedule for the day was already completely lined up. After breakfast, she would head straight to class. Then, after class, there was sword practice, a meeting with Professor Hanneman, a tutor session she held weekly, lunch, and after that…

Busy as her day was, Annette was accustomed to such long schedules with few breaks in between. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been fascinated with learning. From sunrise to midnight, she made it her mission to learn non-stop, be it by asking questions, conducting her own experiments, or finding mentors to guide her.

Four years ago, that mission became all the more important. That was when her father, a knight in service of the royal family, exiled himself from Faerghus. Consequently, she and her heartbroken mother, Lady Dominic, were left to struggle financially in spite of their noble standing. They never heard from him again.

Annette stayed positive. After spending countless days and nights awake studying just about everything she could in addition to keeping up with the chores of the house, she finally qualified to attend the Royal School of Sorcery in Fhirdiad. By the time she graduated, she had earned high marks and her professors' adoration.

Garreg Mach had been the next stop. Reluctant as her mother was to pay the ludicrous tuition fee, Annette managed to convince her of the payoff of attending such a prestigious school. If she could complete her training there, then she'd likely be enlisted as a high-ranking mage in Faerghus. Their struggles would finally be over.

However, unbeknownst to her mother, there was another reason Annette wanted to go to Garreg Mach.

Her father.

She heard her father was at the Academy, somewhere…

Even if it was just a chance, she had to take it and finally bring him home.

She had to.

Still, in spite of her ambitions, there was one situation she had yet to deal with: Felix Hugo Fraldarius.

In Fodlan, there were only a few ways that a noble house could rise in status.

First, they would need to exhibit their talents, which was usually done through scholarly work or battle achievements. Since there was no war in sight, she was left with scholarly work. However, given the uncertainty of science, and the unpredictable whims of the Church and nobility, receiving success with her findings wasn't necessarily guaranteed. Another option was that they could come across some valuable items and sell them for a fortune. However, that in itself was unlikely. So, that left her with the last option: marriage.

Annette's father used to be a royal knight in Faerghus. Consequently, he had been acquainted with many important nobles. Included in that list was the second most powerful noble in all of Fodlan: King Lambert's right-hand man, Duke Fraldarius. As luck would have it, the duke had been looking to arrange a match for his second son and heir, Felix. After her mother met with him, the arrangement was swiftly made.

That was three years ago. Since then, she and her mother had met the duke, but they had heard nothing from his wife or son. Both of them were rumored to have become very withdrawn. When the duke had met her and her mother, the duke apologized for their absence, saying, "I'm afraid they've become quite distant these days. But when the timing is better, I'll make sure that the two of you meet. That much I can promise."

Annette did not like relying on some arranged marriage to ensure her success; she believed that her hard work should be able to take her anywhere. However, reality was far different. At this point, marriage was the one thing her family could rely on for the time being.

Now, they were both here at Garreg Mach. It was finally her chance to meet the mystery man she had heard so much about but had seen only once before. She hoped that he was handsome, diligent, friendly, good natured...

Having seen him before, he was surely handsome, but that said little about his character. Still, no matter what she hoped for, there was only one way to find out what he was really like. She peeked inside her pocket planner, searching for free time in her day's schedule.

No openings. The only option she had was finding him during her morning walk. With that, she tied her tangerine hair into two looped ponytails and headed out the front door. She looked up to the gray sky and took a moment to grab her peach-colored coat and midnight black umbrella… just in case.

Annette marched out of her dorm, ready to start the morning. The first place she looked was his room. After making her way to the West Wing, she searched for a door with the name tag named "Felix Fraldarius". In time, she finally came across his name… or, at least she thought it was his. In truth, it was hard for her to tell. All she could really make out was the first letter of each part of the name: FHF. The rest looked like some scribbles, no matter how long she spent trying to make out the "e's" or the "a's", or anything else.

She knocked on the door several times, only to receive no response. She then passed the infirmary. Felix wasn't there, although curiously enough, nine students were all confined to their beds. Seeing them laying there worried her. Had the duels been really that devastating for so many people? Or was there a severe illness going around? Surely they couldn't just be there for fun…

She then paced past the marketplace, the fishing pond, and the greenhouse. No luck anywhere.

Along her journey, she noticed Professor Hanneman and Professor Manuela bickering in the distance. Upon seeing them, she scrambled into the Blue Lions classroom and pressed her head against the brick wall. Manuela's shouts reached her ears easily. "The three second rule counts, Hanneman! You can't prove anything!"

"No, it doesn't! It's extraordinarily unsanitary!" Hanneman roared back, "You see?! This is why you're alone, Manuela. You make a mess!"

"And this is why YOU'RE alone, Hanneman! You don't let anyone live a little! You always have an opinion about how everyone acts and you won't hesitate to bring it to their attention!" she bitterly retorted.

"And then you wonder why that one man stood you up!"

"And then _you_ wonder why that one lady stood _you_ up!"

Annette couldn't help but giggle hearing the professors' arguments. As much as she respected them, learning about their personal lives was always an unexpected treat.

Suddenly, the bickering stopped, and two shadows approached. Annette hesitantly looked up, only to find both professors' surprised faces looming over her.

She bowed over immediately. "I-I'm so sorry," she stuttered, "Please, forgive me! I was just passing by and then I saw you and didn't want you to be weirded out, so I just hid and-"

Hanneman sighed. "There is no harm done, Miss Annette. It's our fault for lacking professionalism. But why are you here so early in the morning?"

"Oh, uh, well… you probably don't know him super well or anything, but I'm looking for one of my classmates. His name is Felix Fraldarius. I've looked everywhere for him, but I haven't had an ounce of luck."

"Oh, I know Felix! The little darling," Manuela remarked with a reminiscent smile, "I know just where he'd be, if you haven't checked there yet."

* * *

The clouds had become darker than before… dark enough for Annette to put on her pink raincoat, just in case. As she flipped the hood over her head, she heard faint cheers coming from inside the training grounds. When she nudged the door open and peeked inside, she found a crowd of Blue Lions students forming a wide circle around the arena. In the center of the large circle were two boys clashing their swords. Finally. She had found him.

Annette rushed in front of the group to see the action for herself. In front of her stood Felix dueling another student. He danced across the ground lightning fast, each move just as indiscernible as the last. Droplets of sweat flew from his face, his wet shirt flapping on and off of his torso. Even from where she was standing, Annette could smell the strong stench of sweat in the air. She shook her head and pinched her nose, wondering why warriors had to always be so smelly. Perfume existed for a reason, after all.

By far, Felix appeared to be the crowd's favorite. People were relentlessly chanting his name as the match progressed: "Fe-lix! Fe-lix!"

But Felix barely looked at any of the audience members. The only things that mattered to him were his blade and his target-that much was clear. However, the cheering was certainly affecting his opponent. Over time, his swings became more reckless, and his eyes dimmed more.

"Oth-er guy! Oth-er guy!" she cheered as she danced around.

Everyone around her was startled by her calls. They backed away from her, singling her out in front of the two fighters. Still, Annette continued with her dance, her arms extending much like the rays of the sun. "Oth-er guy! Oth-er guy! Turn that frown up-side down and take him down! Goooo other guy!"

In response, the opponent smiled and blushed. He gave her a friendly thumbs up, while Felix continued to pay her no mind. As his opponent's guard was down, Felix saw his opening. Less than a second later, the boy was on the ground with his sword out of reach. His chin rested just above the tip of Felix's blade. The match was over.

"You didn't have your guard up, lover boy." he said before leaving.

The match was over. The other students were quick to shove Annette to the back, each wanting to catch a glimpse of the victor up close. Of course, none of this surprised her-students of Faerghus always prized strength over all else. Felix's dexterity, coupled with his high noble standing, made it quite obvious why he was popular in Faerghus, regardless of his personality.

"What a cutie!" one girl cried out.

"You're so handsome and brave!" a boy shouted.

"Please, will you teach me your technique?!" another said.

Annette lifted her heels off the ground and held her head up high, trying her best to try to catch a glimpse of him. The most she could catch was him wiping his sweat off, still unconcerned with his adoring fans. She tightened her embrace around her textbooks and bit her lip, hoping she would get a chance to talk to him later. _Just a little bit longer, Annette._

Fifteen minutes, Annette was still waiting for her chance. She tapped her foot and blew out her cheeks. Beside her, there were still a number of giggling girls who decided to watch Felix deliver devastating blows to a punching bag in the corner.

Felix rolled his eyes and swung his arm again. "Leave. You're interrupting my training." he told them coldly.

His attitude put Annette slightly off. No matter how much adoration he received, he seemed like he wanted nothing to do with anyone. On one hand, his determination was admirable. On the other, he seemed to be incredibly distant from just about everyone.

One of the girls wandered over to him with a shy smile. "H-hi. Big fan."

"Don't see what there is to be a big fan for."

"Oh, I think there's a lot to admire, act-"

"Get to the point. I've got more important things to do." he said dismissively.

The girl became flustered. "O-oh, well… I was wondering if maybe you wanted to go out with me sometime. You know… like a date. Just the two-"

"Pass. Go find someone else."

"Oh, I-I'm sorry… You're not seeing anyone, are you? I hope I-"

"I'm not seeing anyone. I'm engaged to some girl in Faerghus, but I haven't even met… uh, whatever her name is."

Annette sullenly folded her arms. After all the stressing she had done, awaiting the day she would finally meet him, he had paid her no thought. The discrepancy in interest irritated her to no end. Sure, perhaps he would be less concerned about marriage than she was, but still…

The girl continued. "I understand. But it's good that you're committed to her."

Felix swung his leg at the punching bag and sent it flying. "It has nothing to do with that. Even if she were here, I'd tell her to get lost."

Annette's jaw dropped.

"Why do you say that?" the student asked him.

"Because unlike many of the reckless buffoons here, I'm here to hone my skills." The man picked up his sword and stared at his reflection. "I'll have to marry one day for the sake of my house, but I've spent my whole life avoiding love and romance. I intend to keep it that way. If she can't understand that, then that's her problem." he soundly declared.

That was all that Annette needed to hear. She stormed off, grumbling to herself before she approached the door. After slipping through the crack in the door, she turned around one last time. She stuck her tongue out at him and shut her eyes.

When she opened them again, her face paled.

For the first time that day, he was looking at her.

* * *

Byleth, Dedue, and Dimitri walked together in silence.

Dimitri kept his head down, still shaken about the countless ghosts plaguing his dreams. Even as he walked now, his hands trembled uncontrollably. However, in spite of his pain, he gave a polite smile to Byleth as they walked down the field near the classrooms together.

From time to time, the prince noticed Byleth watching him as they walked. That was to be expected, particularly after what she had caught a glimpse of in the library. The young prince vividly remembered the words he desperately cried out when he woke up in a cold sweat: _Please stop, please stop, I beg of-_

Of course, he wanted nothing more than to be on good terms with her, just like anyone else. But given his colored past and troubling thoughts, being around him would be burdensome on anyone, and he understood that.

He looked at her expressionless face, trying to gain a sense of how she felt about him. Perhaps she was startled by his reaction. Perhaps she was curious about his past. Perhaps she had looked at the book on his desk and wondered about his relationship with the Arundel's. As usual, though, her true feelings would forever remain an enigma.

Byleth was attentive to Dimitri as well. Whether he was looking or not, she continued watching him, wondering what she could pick up from his behavior. His eyes remained slightly drooped, and there was a small hunch in his back as he stepped forward. But what concerned her most were his trembling hands. Even as minutes passed, the trembling persisted. Byleth wanted to help him, but what could she possibly do?

Dimitri nervously smiled after catching her gaze a number of times. "Byleth, I understand that you must have lived differently than most, but surely even you must realize that staring can make others uncomfortable."

Byleth's eyes darted away. "Sorry."

"May I ask why you have been looking so much?"

"You don't seem okay."

The young prince sighed. "I'm sorry. I know that what you saw back there was quite startling."

"Is it normal?"

Dimitri's eyes widened. "Pardon?"

"Is it normal?" Byleth repeated.

The prince didn't know what to say. The truth was that it had been normal for the last few years… but there was no need to cause her concern. "I'm perfectly fine, Byleth, but thank you." he replied sincerely, offering a small smile.

"You don't look fine. You're shaking."

Dedue quickly chimed in. "Your Highness, Byleth is right. You have not rested well. Perhaps you could go back to your dorm. I would be happy to bring notes while you rest."

Dimitri sighed. "You two worry far too much. I am completely fine. Never better, even!" he insisted with a tight smile, "Let's just go to the dining hall already."

Dedue and Byleth exchanged concerned looks. However, they eventually relented and followed him without protest.

* * *

The dining hall was already half full when Annette arrived. It was filled with countless scents, such as those of sweets and sausage, and murmurs could be heard at just about every table. She scanned the room for her best friend, Mercedes. Finally, after spotting her baking sweets in the kitchen, she skipped in her direction. Besides her was a freckled boy with gray hair managing the soups. "Morning! Are you on cooking duty today?"

Mercedes cheerfully waved. "Good morning, Annie! I am, along with Ashe."

Ashe turned and firmly shook her hand with a smile on his face. "Good morning! Ashe Ubert of the Blue Lions House. I am the adoptive son of Lord Lonato, if you happen to know who he is."

"Annette Fantine Dominic! Daughter of the Baroness." she proudly announced.

Ashe's eyes lit up instantly. "Really! Dominic… you don't happen to be related to Gustave Dominic, do you?"

Gustave Dominic. Her father. Of course, in a land where strength and knights were revered left and right, her father would be known and remembered.

"... Yep, he's my father."

Ashe excitedly put down his tray of scones in the front. "I've heard stories of him. Oh, how wonderful being a knight must be. They are courageous, kind deliverers of justice. And they spend their lives helping others, serving to protect your loved ones and homeland from all harm… I just can't think of a better lifelong pursuit. It's my biggest dream!"

Annette remembered her father's lectures running along the same lines. For as long as they live, knights have a promise to keep: to protect the royal family, look after their loved ones, and loyally serve their homeland. But if that was every knight's oath, then why did her father have to betray them? Why did he have to abandon the family without so much as a word in farewell?

"W-well, I admire your positivity." she stuttered. She quickly picked up her normal cheerful demeanor afterwards. "If you keep it up and work hard, then I'm sure you'll make it! That's what I think, anyway."

"Thank you so much, Annette! I hope that your dreams come true too."

Annette felt hesitant to support someone into knighthood; after all, it could mean Ashe leaving his own family someday, if he had one. Still, if that's what he really wanted, then she'd hope for his dream to come true too.

Mercedes put out another tray of scones. Within a few seconds, students crowded around the tray, each arm desperately reaching for another bite. She blushed and waved to them. "Thank you so much! More are coming soon."

Annette leaned over. "You must be really hard at work right now..."

"We sure are! Things are busier than ever right now. I guess people really like the food!"

"Sooooo, maybe I can help?" she eagerly asked.

Mercedes offered her a sympathetic smile. "Oh Annie, you know how much I love to have you help, but I don't think we'll have the time to supervise you in case something goes wrong…"

"Oh, come on!" Annette pleaded, "So maybe I haven't had the best history with cooking. But that's exactly how you learn, right? What do you think, Ashe?"

Ashe grinned. "I don't see why not. What could go wrong, Mercedes?"

Annette smugly folded her arms. "See? Ashe agrees with me."

"That's because Ashe doesn't know of your… um… kitchen mishaps." Mercedes whispered.

At that moment, a clap of thunder roared outside. Within a few minutes, churchgoers and students alike rushed inside, soaked.

"Okay, Annie. Grab an apron, and make sure to do _exactly_ what we say."

Annette eagerly saluted. "Don't worry, Mercie! I won't let you down!"

* * *

With a wide smirk on his face, Sylvain couldn't help but wink at all of the women who passed by him. He leaned back in his seat, showing off his half-opened white shirt underneath his uniform. To further add to the appeal, he ruffled his spiky, red orange hair and puffed up his chest. He raised his eyebrows and smirked at the woman across from him. "So, Grid. How do I look, from a woman's perspective? Do I look hot, or do I look hot?"

Sitting across from him was a scarlet-faced Ingrid maintaining a rather neat look. Her long, golden blonde hair was tied into a large braid that rested on the back of her buttoned-up uniform. As people continually passed by them, she was quick to mouth "Sorry" to all of them. "Quiet, and zip up your uniform." she grumbled, "I'm too busy apologizing for your mistakes to pay attention."

"Yeah? Your red face says otherwise."

"My red face is from the fact that I've been covering for your skirtchasing for the last 12 years."

Sylvain put his legs up on the dining hall bench. "Ingrid, Ingrid. Nobody asked you to do that, you know."

Ingrid impatiently tapped her finger against the table. "But speaking of skirtchasing! Guess who showed up at my door yesterday, in tears!"

"Hmm…. Felix. You know how sensitive he used to be in the good ol' days."

Ingrid squinted at him. "Wha… ? No! It's a girl."

"It could have been Felix _disguised_ as a girl." he insisted. He tapped his forehead before grabbing another bite of food. "You never kno-"

Ingrid kicked him under the table. "Be serious! It was Sally!"

"Ah, Sally…" Sylvain solemnly nodded. "She was a lovely lady indeed. So kind and warm. We wanted different things in life, but I'll always remember my days with her." he sorrowfully added.

"Uh huh. And did you say that to the _other_ girl you were dating at the same time?"

Sylvain chuckled and playfully nudged the woman's shoulder. "Oh, Grid! Of _course_ I wouldn't say the same line to two girls I'm dating at once! That's a classic misstep."

Ingrid rolled her round green eyes. "Unbelievable. Why do you do this?" she questioned him, "Was she okay with you having another girlfriend?"

Sylvain shrugged. "Look at it this way, Grid. Statistically speaking, most relationships end in heartbreak. Trust me. I took a large sample of existing relationships in Fodlan one day and did the math. My studies find that 95% of relationships end in heartbreak. It's in the confidence intervals!"

Ingrid raised her eyebrows. "Uh _huh_ … And out of your 'large sample size', how much of your data was from your own relationships? Hm?"

"Ingrid, c'mon. Of _course_ I used relationships that weren't mine."

"Well obviously you did. Otherwise the data would show that 100% of relationships end in heartbreak. But that was not my question. My question was, out of all the relationships you examined, how many of those relationships are yours? Care to give an estimate?"

"Why, Ingrid. I would love to, but I gotta keep the numbers confidential, for everyone else's sake."

"And your ego." Ingrid chimed in.

All of a sudden, Sylvain's brown eyes lit up. He gave a friendly smile and gestured for someone to come over.

Ingrid sighed. "Don't tell me this is your new girlfriend..."

"Good morning, Ingrid and Sylvain. I trust that you both slept well?"

The woman spun around to see Dimitri, accompanied by Byleth and Dedue. "Prince Dimitri! What a pleasant surprise. Please, have a seat."

"What up, Your Highness!" Sylvain chimed in, "Sit wherever you like. … With your beautiful companions." he added, winking at Byleth. Byleth looked at the floor without a word.

"I will. You've met Dedue and Byleth, haven't you?"

Ingrid's gaze fell on Byleth. "I briefly saw Byleth when Sylvain… well, hit on her yesterday. She was quick to leave, though."

Byleth continued to remain silent, unsure of what she could say.

"I'm so sorry for my friend. He's kind of an idiot when it comes to girls." Ingrid continued.

"Hey, at least I'm a _hot_ idiot!" Sylvain insisted.

Byleth nodded. "It's fine. I don't know much about marriage. … My dad has been married, though. I can get him to talk to you, if it would help you." she told him earnestly.

Sylvain nervously laughed while his friends shook their heads. "You know, I'm so grateful for your offer, but I think I'm gonna pass."

"Sylvain… I'm not saying you can't enjoy yourself, but you have to moderate your passions. Making promises to so many women is bound to get you into trouble one of these days." Dimitri told him.

Ingrid shook her head. "One of these days? Your Highness, please. He's already gotten into _plenty_ of trouble over the years."

Sylvain threw his hands up. "Oh boy, it's the flirtation knights. Please, knights. Arrest me."

"Um… are there really such things as flirtation knights?" Byleth whispered to Dimitri.

"Never mind."

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion at the end of the dining hall. A flame burst from the oven at the kitchen, leading students to panickedly exit the hall. A large ball of smoke rose to the ceiling, causing many of the fleeing students to begin coughing.

The first to rush over to help was Dimitri. "What happened?! Is everyone okay?" he called out with a cough, "I'm going in!"

Quick to rush into the smoke behind him were Ingrid and Sylvain, both visibly concerned for their old friend.

"Your Highness! Hold up!" Sylvain roared.

"Don't go in there!" Ingrid called out.

Byleth and Dedue exchanged glances. Then, much to Dedue's surprise, Byleth began taking off the armor on her shoulders.

"What are you doing?" he quietly asked her.

After a few more seconds, Byleth successfully removed all of her armor. She pulled off her overcoat and handed it to Dedue. "We don't have time."

Understanding her plan, Dedue silently nodded and approached the fire. He remained still, even as the other students in the room glared at him, suspicious of his intentions. He lifted his large arms and made one sweeping pull downward. The gray smoke flew away, brushing against the wall. Much to everyone's relief, everyone seemed unharmed. A coughing Dimitri had a shaking Annette in his arms as he trudged forward, Sylvain was carrying Mercedes on his back, and Ingrid was helping Ashe away.

Pots and pans had flown all over the kitchen floor, and there was a medium-sized fire in the middle of one of the stoves. The back counter was covered with burnt, black scones.

Sylvain's mouth dropped. "Jeez, whoever did that… remind me not to have them come cook for me."

Ashe and Mercedes looked to Annette, who slowly inched behind the latter.

"What happened to my kitchen?!"

The group turned their attention to the distressed head chef, who appeared ready to explode at any second.

Annette bit her lip and stared at the ground. Of course, Mercedes had been right- cooking had never been her specialty. She stepped forward and opened her mouth, ready to confess. However, Mercedes quickly stepped in front of her, bowing before the chef. "I'm so sorry for the mess, ma'am. I know you trusted the kitchen in my care, and my mistakes got us here," she calmly told her, "But I'll make sure to get it all cleaned up."

"All by yourself?! No. That would take forever!" the chef retorted, "ALL of you have to fix this! Right away!"

Much to Dimitri and Ingrid's disappointment, Sylvain waltzed over to her. "Now now, Miss. There's no need to panic. Perhaps you could let my friends go, and in exchange, I treat you out to some fine cuisine outside! What do you say to that? It's a pretty fine offer, if you ask me."

Sylvain smugly looked at the chef, eagerly waiting for a response. Despite his attempts to woo her, though, the Chef gave him a slap on the cheek and sent him to the kitchen, along with everyone else.

* * *

The Blue Lions got to work in the kitchen. Dedue and Byleth were quietly chopping up vegetables on the side. Meanwhile, Sylvain and Ingrid were beating down the dough, with Ingrid occasionally kicking Sylvain's shins under the table every time he made an inappropriate comment. Mercedes and Ashe continued managing the oven, and Dimitri was left to serve the baked food to the star-struck students, all of whom were flattered that the prince of Faerghus himself was serving them.

Annette sat on the side by herself, sadly watching the other Lions work in the kitchen. She slumped over in her seat, listening to the rain pour outside. Her attention then fell over to her umbrella, placed on one of the nearby tables. She didn't see Felix have his own when she last saw him…

When she looked up, she noticed her best friend, Mercedes, watching her with a gentle smile on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Mercie," Annette grumbled, "I was eager to help out, but I should have listened to you."

"Oh, it's okay. Everyone makes mistakes! What matters is that you tried." she assured her. The two watched the other Blue Lions students cook. "Besides, I kind of like seeing everyone together like this."

Annette softly smiled, "Yeah… it is pretty cool."

The two then heard another clap of thunder outside, along with the downpour of rain on the building's roof. Mercedes frowned, "My! It's pouring quite heavily now! I sure hope everyone's inside."

Annette's face paled. "U-um," she stuttered, "I have to check up on something."

Mercedes's violet eyes widened. "Right now?"

"Right now! Tell them I'll be back! Bye!" Annette yanked her pink coat and umbrella off of a nearby table. Then, with a few tugs on her arms, she was already out the door.

* * *

Much to Annette's astonishment, Felix was still at the training grounds, hidden behind one of the pillars. As she approached him, she noticed him soaked.

"Your boyfriend isn't here, you know." he remarked without giving her a glance.

With her gaze fixated on the swordsman, she shyly mumbled to herself. "Well, he kind of is…"

"What was that?"

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Annette blurted out, "But why are you still here?"

"I was training, and then it rained." Felix firmly stated, "But rain won't stop an enemy army from approaching, so it shouldn't stop me."

"But this isn't wartime!"

"Uh, have you seen our prince? He's practically begging to start a bloody battle of his own."

Annette frowned. "Well, that's not very nice to say…"

"It's not nice, but it's true." Felix said with a nod, "One of these days, he's going to snap. And when he does, all hell is going to break loose."

"But he's been so polite and helpful to everyone! In fact, he saved me! Today! From… um… some kitchen… thing." she mumbled with her cheeks reddening, "Meanwhile, you've spent the day cutting people off, being a negative nancy, and the only thing you want to do is swing your sword around."

"Call me anything you like, but at least I'm honest. You won't see it just yet. But he's getting there. We're headed for disaster. It's just a matter of time."

"This is not a joke, Felix!" Annette yelled, "What if you get really sick because of this one time?!"

"I doubt that's going to happen."

Annette sighed and closed her eyes. She hated to talk more about battle, but there was no way getting around it. "Well, fine. But if you don't bundle up or carry an umbrella, then you wouldn't be able to train for a few days. You wouldn't want that either, would you?"

Much to her relief and dismay, it worked. "... Huh. I've actually never thought of that before."

Annette sighed and rubbed her temples. "Great. Wonderful. Now, do you have an umbrella?"

"No."

Annette thrust her umbrella in his hands and pulled her hood over her head. "Then just take mine."

"I don't need it."

"Well, fine. Sell it, throw it away, or whatever else you want to do with it. But I was so worried. … I couldn't stand knowing that I didn't try to help you."

Felix continued to hold the umbrella while Annette stormed off into the distance. At a clap of thunder, she slipped and fell on the pavement. Felix leapt up instantly and walked out into the arena, until she picked herself up and continued away.

When she exited the arena, his expression switched… to one of sorrow. He held the umbrella over his head.

"What a fool you are, giving this to me."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Thank you so much for reading, as always! :)**

**Big, big thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing. Especially this chapter-this one was a doozy to look through.**

**Going forward, I'm probably going to be playing around a little bit with word length in the next few chapters. I definitely want to write quality chapters on a weekly basis, but especially as things are getting busier in the fall, I do foresee writing/editing ~5000 words per chapter to be a challenge. So, I'm definitely going to try and see what works out the best. I hope you continue to enjoy what I write!**


	11. On and On, The Rain Would Fall

On and on, the rain would fall.

The charcoal gray clouds hung above the monastery, booming claps of thunder ringing through the sky.

"The rain does not seem like it will be stopping anytime soon. I wouldn't be surprised if we had to walk back to our dorms in this weather." Dimitri remarked while staring outside. He faced his cooking companions, his eyes full of regret. "I'm sorry for my negligence. If I had an umbrella, then I would have certainly lent it to one of you."

Annette looked down to her wet, bruised knees. "No, _I'm_ the one who's sorry, Your Highness. I had one, but I already gave my umbrella away to someone else..."

"Nonsense, Annette. I'm sure that whomever you gave the umbrella to appreciates your kindness."

Annette remained silent.

Mercedes's gaze fell onto her injuries. "Oh Annie, did you fall in the rain?" she asked before kneeling to the ground, "Here, let me see."

"I'm fine, Mercie! It's just a bruise! Nothing to sneeze at," she quickly insisted.

Still, her friend held out her hands in front of Annette's knees. Within moments, a glowing, green light appeared. As the light petered out, the bruises faded in kind.

Byleth leaned over to her. "You're quick at healing. Is it something you do often?"

"Oh, yes! Looking after others is my specialty," the healer happily stated while springing up, "So if you ever have an injury, just let me know! I'll have you patched up before you know it."

"Thank you."

"Everyone! Look what we have here!" Ingrid called out from behind them. When the others turned around, they saw her and Ashe, standing side-by-side with umbrellas in hand.

"You're in luck today!" Ashe happily announced, "We came prepared with our own umbrellas, and we're happy to share!"

"Dibs on sharing the umbrella with Ingrid!" Sylvain declared with a wink, "I'm _more_ than ready to share a stroll in the rain with you. Eh? Eh? What do you say to that?"

"I say this: I forgot to add that womanizers are not welcome under this umbrella! Silly me," Ingrid snapped. She brushed her blonde bangs aside with a huff.

"I can't help but admire your preparedness," Dimitri told the aspiring knights, "You set a perfect example. One that I should follow myself, frankly."

Ashe quickly saluted. "It's not a problem at all, Your Highness! Knights must always be prepared to help the people!"

Byleth turned to Dimitri. "You have a lot of kind friends, Dimitri. Dedue, Ingrid, Ashe… you're very lucky." she quietly told him with a smile.

The prince beamed with pride. "I'm glad to hear you say that. Many of the Blue Lions will stop to help their fellow man, in the name of all that's fair and just. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus has always valued chivalry first and foremost-"

"HEY CUTIE! Got anyone to share that umbrella with?" Sylvain called out to a girl with an umbrella. Within a few seconds, he pushed past Ingrid, falling over himself to find his next lover.

"It seems chivalry is not above love for him, though." Byleth remarked.

Dimitri sighed. "It is true that he's a bit of a… er… skirt chaser, and he's certainly less knightlike than Ashe or Ingrid. However, he is also a capable person who highly values his friends."

"I see. Maybe he'll be my friend too. I need more friends..."

"Aww, Byleth! You're everyone's friend here, you know. " Mercedes assured her with a soothing tone.

Byleth quickly nodded. She was a little surprised, but grateful nonetheless. Of course she was not bound to be everyone's favorite. Still, it was nice to hear.

"What's wrong, Byleth?" Ashe asked her, "You seem to have something on your mind."

Byleth quickly shook her head. "I'm happy."

"Are you sure? You don't look happy," he remarked, his pear green eyes shining with concern.

Byleth looked down to the ground, searching for the right way to express herself. With a few blinks, she looked up again. She managed to muster up a lopsided smile.

No one responded. Of course, her forced expression was as strange as ever.

The woman bowed her head.

"Byleth is not expressive." Dimitri quickly cut in, "But I am sure she appreciates it. Right, Byleth? How do you feel?"

Staring at him straight in the eyes, Byleth shyly spoke with a nod, "Y-yes, that's right. I'm very happy to be with all of you."

She really was.

* * *

On and on, the rain would fall.

Still, regardless of the weather, the Golden Deer members had only ten minutes until the classroom doors closed. Professor Jeritza would make no exception.

And yet, much to Bennett's frustration, things weren't looking good for him and his companions. They woke up late. They were still in their pajamas. It would be impossible to be on time at this point, and it was only the second day of class.

What made matters even worse was Claude, their leader, was behaving. Instead of getting ready the moment he awoke, Claude took sometime to admire the natural scenery outside of his window.

It was ridiculous. Edelgard always appeared so put together, without a single hair out of place. Claude on the other hand… there was no comparison to be made. Edelgard was clearly the superior leader.

Yet because of his own failures, Bennett was stuck with him.

Ignatz's drawing of the sleepover flashed in Bennett's mind.

Yes.

He was part of that picture.

And he truly had a great time...

Bennett quickly shook his head. No. That sleepover was what got him here in the first place. Now, because of _one_ sleepover with everyone else, he was already behind.

"What are we going to do?!" Lorenz panickedly cried out. "We all woke up late, thanks to Claude's negligence! And now it's raining! Professor Jeritza shall not find this acceptable, you know. Are you listening to me, Claude?! Claude!"

Hilda, on the other hand, fell back into bed, her watermelon pink hair spreading out on the mattress once more. She wrapped her arms around the blanket with a grin on her face. "How perfect…" she happily mumbled, "A class-free day is exactly what I need…"

Claude yanked the blanket from her arms. "Nope, no can do, Princess. You're not sleeping in on my watch."

"I can and I will." she stubbornly retorted before indignantly wrapping her arms around her pillow.

"Alright, Golden Deer." Claude announced, "We've only got a few minutes until class starts! Grab a blanket and fold it up."

Suddenly, Hilda opened her eyes and tightly gripped her ankle. "Oooooh, ouch! Ouch, ouch! I think I twisted my ankle in my sleep... You should just go on without me…" she said with an innocent smile.

Lorenz gasped as Claude rolled his eyes. "Lady Hilda! You poor thing!" the former cried out, "Fret no more! For I, Lorenz Hellman Gloucester, shall take care of everything for you until you recover!"

"Why, thank you, Lorenz. What would I do without you?" Hilda lovingly responded with a small giggle.

"You could go to class." Claude whispered to her.

Lorenz scoffed. "Hmph. Get your ears checked, Claude. She has hurt herself; she cannot lift her foot."

"Well, fine. She won't have to."

* * *

On and on, the rain would fall.

Annette peeked outside of the dining hall and let out a sigh of a relief.

Felix was standing in the rain, holding her umbrella.

Finally. She could relax.

Annette tugged her hood over her head and skipped out into the open. Suddenly, her feet slipped on the wet pavement.

She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact.

But she never felt it. Instead, there was a hand pressed against the back of her coat. When her eyes opened again, she noticed herself inches away from the ground. Casting a shadow above her was Felix, with his normal grimace.

Annette couldn't help but blush as he helped her back up. "That was incredible!" she gushed, "First you were over there, and then you were here, and then… um… thanks."

"What a fool you are."

"Huh?"

"You hurt yourself on an unnecessary trip. And for what? For me?" he asked in disbelief.

"Uh, yeah!" she insisted, "Why not?"

Felix scoffed. "Don't let this happen again," he coldly remarked, "I don't need your help, now or ever. In fact… I don't need this umbrella."

Annette fumed as Felix handed her the umbrella. He left without a glance behind. "Hey! Don't leave without an umbrella! What about your training?!"

Determined to make sure her efforts hadn't gone to waste, she chased him. She sought to make sure he was protected by the rain, even if it meant waddling on the balls of her feet and holding the umbrella as high as she could just to reach him. She refused to give up.

"I told you. Give it up already." he snapped. Felix spun around to her, sending the umbrella flying into the air.

"NO!" Annette cried out, desperately reaching for its handle. Unfortunately for her, the wind carried the umbrella away.

* * *

On and on, the rain would fall.

The group members dashed together through the pouring rain with blankets on their heads. In the front of the line was Claude, who held a squealing Hilda in his arms.

Most of the other students were already inside, but the few he did see were sharing umbrellas or raincoats.

The Golden Deer looked quite foolish in comparison.

Bennett sprinted past the Black Eagles classroom with shame. He couldn't let anyone there see him, especially Edelgard.

To think that he had once captured her interest when they were first walking back to the monastery. Now, he didn't deserve a second glance from her. Oh, how low he had come...

Lucky shot, lucky shot… There was no lucky shot here.

Bennett came to a stop when he saw who had been peeking outside of the Blue Lions class. It was his sister.

Everything about her remained the same, from her ruffled, teal hair to her wide eyes and unfeeling stare. "Looks fun." she said with a nod.

He looked down with no response. She could have been trying to be nice, but that look in her eye… For all he knew, she could be wishing him the best or just mocking him. Either one.

Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Oh. Behind you."

Bennett felt his body get smacked with a wet object. When he brought it out in front, he grimaced. It was a black umbrella. "Wow. An umbrella. Lucky me. I definitely need this now that I'm right outside the room!"

"You _are_ lucky."

"Sarcasm."

"Oh."

The rain persisted… and so did someone's panting.

Between the twins and the Golden Deer classroom was Lysithea, staggering across the pavement and gasping for air. Her ghostly white hair swung back and forth, much like the textbook she struggled to grasp in her thin hands.

Finally, she landed against the stone wall.

"Hey! You okay?" he called out to Lysithea. Byleth rushed towards her.

Lysithea feebly pushed her away, still out of breath. "I'm…fine." she managed out, "I'm… not… some...ch-child."

Bennett followed his sister. "Believe it or not, adults need help too."

Byleth noticed him eyeing her carefully, ready to catch her if she collapsed.

She worried about how things were between the two of them. He had been bitter before, and the Crest situation surely made things worse…

"Um… are you mad at me?" Byleth asked him.

Her brother didn't take his eyes off from Lysithea. Still, he shrugged and gave a response. "I mean… a little. It just seems unfair. But-"

Bennett's eyes widened when Lysithea fell over.

"Okay…" he mumbled before lifting her back up, "You're exhausted. I'm helping you the rest of the way."

"I'm fine…" Lysithea weakly protested.

"Uh huh." he replied dismissively, "Byleth, we're off."

Byleth quickly nodded. "O-okay. See you. And I'm sorry."

Bennett shrugged, not saying a word.

* * *

On and on, the rain would fall.

Still, everyone was in class. It was safe now.

Byleth marched away, her shoulders sinking by the second. As oblivious as she was about many things in life, she knew about the importance of having Crests. _Everyone_ in Fodlan knew. And now that she had one while Bennett did not, he surely resented her far more than ever before.

There must be a way to fix things. If she could get rid of her Crest-which she cared little for-somehow, then maybe things just might get better.

But there were too many questions to answer first. What Crest did she have, exactly? Would it be even possible to remove hers? And if so, then what were the consequences?

She couldn't leave things the way they were. For the sake of her relationship with her brother, she couldn't just do nothing.

"Hey, gorgeous!"

The young woman turned to find Sylvain behind her, carefree as ever. Surrounding him were a few lovestruck women, each as enamored with him as the next.

She remembered Dimitri's words: Sylvain was capable and highly valued his friends. So if that was the case, then maybe she could ask him for help.

Byleth looked straight into his eyes, searching for a sign that trusting him with her problem was the right decision. He was but a stranger who seemed to want nothing besides love…

It was worth a shot, though.

"Can we be friends?" she asked him earnestly.

"Aren't we already friends? Though… we could always be more, if you want us to be." he added. The ladies around him giggled amorously.

"No, I need help. … Please."

* * *

On and on, the rain would fall.

All of the Golden Deer students made it inside moments before Professor Jeritza closed the doors. He decided to ignore their strange entrance, along with Claude's attempts to convince him that it was pajama day.

A recovered Lysithea was the only who bothered to bring her textbook. Though it was soaked through, the other group members remained ready to peer over her shoulder and read when Jeritza referred to it.

However, that day, he didn't choose to talk about the book. Instead, he went on to talk about the second part of the assessment: A mock battle against the other houses.

But as the professor raised his large arm against the chalkboard, the doors to the classroom flew open.

Jeritza's violet eyes narrowed as he turned to see who the disruptor was.

Standing across the classroom was Seteth, panting with an umbrella in his hand.

"Seteth." Jeritza hissed, "I am in the middle of class."

"Yes yes, I am well aware, but this is urgent. Attention, everyone! The mock battle is hereby indefinitely postponed."

"... Why?" the professor asked.

Seteth nervously looked around at all of the class members. Usually, he would have let the teacher and students go to the assigned field by themselves. However, since the Death Knight's attack last night, Seteth found it fit to declare that no class trips outside the monastery's vicinity would be allowed. The one exception would be if the classes had the supervision of the Knights of Seiros, at least until they captured the mysterious assailant.

But most of the Knights were already busy helping Faerghus suppress rebellions or taking care of bandits. The only ones left were those at the monastery, and they certainly couldn't leave their posts; that would jeopardize the Archbishop's safety.

Unfortunately for Seteth, Rhea had instructed him to not tell the students about the Death Knight… and gave him no alternative explanation to work with. So, there he stood, left on his own to give some vague reason that would convince absolutely no one.

"Changes… in administration plans. Just continue with classroom instruction. You have enough of an assessment on the students with the duels, I'm sure."

There was silence. Then, as he expected, there were frantic whispers.

Of course, word of the Death Knight had already gotten around. The rumors would only intensify as fear grasped everyone's hearts.

Claude, on the other hand, couldn't help but smile. Another mystery to crack wide open…

This would be fun.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Special thanks to Abracadoozles from fanfiction.net for editing this chapter.**

**And thanks for reading. I hope you liked it. :)**

**I also want to add that while Claude and Dimitri will be the bigger focuses here, Edelgard will definitely play a bigger role later on. I will also dive into her points about Fodlan, as I feel that that's important.**

**On another note, I've been doing more long-term planning, and I've been working on parents' appearances. If anyone has any requests for any parents who they want to show up at some point, I'm happy to keep them in mind, so feel free to let me know.**

**Hope everyone is staying safe.**


	12. Seteth the Counselor

Much to Seteth's relief, there were no more Death Knight incidents for the next few days. He still spared no effort in the investigation, but at least now he could afford to take a break now and then .

On his daily walk around the monastery, he took a few detours. He even found himself with enough time h to stop and chat with one of the servants in the courtyard near the classrooms.

In the middle of his conversation with her, he turned his attention to two of the students conversing nearby. "Ah, I believe that that man is the heir to House Fraldarius. Is that not so?"

The servant's eyes became as round as dishes upon hearing the name "Fraldarius". Seteth could already tell she was one of the newer staff members. High-profile nobility were rarely seen on the streets, but at Garreg Mach, such nobles were commonplace.

Seteth gave a small smile. "I knew his parents, actually."

The servant's jaw dropped. "D-did you?" she whispered.

Seteth nodded knowingly. "Yes. I've spent my entire life here, so I've gotten the chance to meet many of the students from previous years. Seeing their children now is certainly an interesting experience." he happily told her, "His parents were both friendly people. Although they were quite different as well… I was surprised to hear of their marriage."

After the servant collected herself, they refocused their attention on the girl next to him. The servant remarked, "Well, if that's the case, then that might be the daughter of Count Galatea. House Fraldarius and House Galatea supposedly remained quite close, after all."

"Yes, I believe that is the case," he replied.

* * *

Ingrid sat up straight in the grass with her nose buried in her book. She remained absolutely absorbed in the story, so much so that she paid no attention to the look of disgust on her seated companion's face.

"You're reading that garbage again?"

"The Tales of Loog and Kyphon is not garbage, Felix." Ingrid sternly snapped. Then, suddenly, she gave him a playful look, "And _you_ know that, too, I am sure. Glenn told me. He used to say that you'd always beg him to read it to you every night."

Felix aggressively ripped the blades of grass from the ground without a word.

Ingrid frowned. "Felix? What's wrong?"

"I don't get why you don't throw that book away already." he hissed.

Ingrid indignantly pressed the book against her chest. "Throw away this treasure? Surely you jest. Didn't you find their battles against dragons absolutely enthralling? And then there's Kyphon… cold as he is, he remains loyal to his lord to the very end. I admire it, really."

"You've got to be kidding me…" he exasperatedly said under his breath. "Stop reading this nonsense and getting these fancy ideas about becoming a knight in your head. You're not cut out to be one."

Ingrid slammed down her book into the grass. "How long are you going to keep saying things like that?! I thought you were my _friend_."

"Oh, do you not want me to be your friend? Because I'm more than happy to make that happen."

"You could stand to be a _little_ more supportive of me!" she insisted, "Just a little! Would it really hurt?"

"I can't be supportive of anyone who believes in all that knighthood nonsense."

"Really? Not even for me?" she asked him.

" _Especially_ not for you."

"What is that supposed to mean? I know you hate the ideas of chivalry and knighthood, but can you not accept that I may feel a little differently?"

"No, I can't." he grumbled. Before another second passed, the swordsman leaped up and stormed off.

"Wait! This conversation is _not_ over!" Ingrid furiously called after him, "We will talk about this again! You can't just leave things like this!"

She pressed her hand on the ground, ready to get up and chase after him. However, Felix had already stormed straight into the Blue Lions classroom, leading her to sigh and return to reading her book in the grass.

"I can't say that I'm surprised by their interaction. I hear he's like that with most people." the servant told Seteth.

"I hear that too."

The servant sighed. "But I suppose that every student has their own issues."

* * *

Upon hearing the servant's words, Seteth decided to fit as many counseling sessions as he possibly could in his busy schedule. He hoped that, even if they were each for a short time, he could get to know the students a little and help them as much as he could.

So, after picking an unoccupied classroom for the sessions, he got to work. He wiped the windows, dusted the bookshelves, and dragged in a large wooden desk. Then, with his quill pen in hand, he was ready.

Many of the sessions were rather enjoyable. He admired Edelgard's drive to succeed her dying father and better Adrestia. He found Dimitri to be quite pleasant as well. As many burdens as there seemed to be clinging to the young prince, he seemed to be doing well these days.

And then there was Claude, who repeatedly deflected his questions. Instead, he'd ask his own questions, wanting to hear about Seteth's life in the Church and about the Archbishop. He even asked him, "So, what Crest do you have?" Of course, Seteth had to insist that he didn't have a Crest at all, for sharing the truth of the matter with anyone was far too dangerous. He hadn't even told his own daughter the truth. She would have to know someday, but for now, she was far too naive and could easily tell someone else.

Seteth was looking forward to his conversation with Felix, though. He knew of the young man's diligence, but the rumors about his distance from others continued to concern him.

Then, he heard a knock on the door. The door opened slightly, and Seteth noticed Felix's narrow, bright orange eyes peeking through the crack in the door. "Hello."

Seteth gestured to the empty seat in front of him. "Felix. Please, come in."

As Felix plopped down on the seat in front of him, Seteth turned to the appropriate page in his notebook, ready to write. He looked up to see what he thought to be a mirror of Duke Fraldarius nearly 20 years ago, sitting before him… save for the Duke's wavier hair and dark blue eyes. Yet instead of being met with a carefree smile, Seteth saw only a small frown. "So… I see that you are the son of Duke Fraldarius."

Felix nodded. "Yes."

"I knew your parents when they were at the Academy, actually. I'm more than happy to tell you about how they were in their youth sometime, if you are interested."

"No thanks." the swordsman responded dismissively.

"You resemble your father closely. Looks-wise, I mean."

"I guess." Felix mumbled with an indifferent shrug. He folded his arms and looked away with a bitter grimace on his face.

Seteth placed his chin in his palm. Perhaps Felix would be happier speaking about the Duchess. "But you have taken up the sword, like your mother."

"Indeed." Felix replied. Soon enough, his mouth curved into a small smile.

Wonderful. Seteth had found his starting point. Now, to continue the conversation and get more than a two-word answer from him. "I take it that you admire her greatly." he said.

"Yes. She's great."

Three words. He should have seen that coming. "I see that you are not one for small talk."

"I am not."

The advisor sighed and put down his pen. "Let us get to the point. I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with Miss Galatea earlier today. You were a little harsh on her, I believe."

"It's not personal." he said coldly.

"Well, in addition to what I saw today, I have heard rumors about you. How you're constantly interrupting your peers in conversation, save for a few, along with the insults you hurl at the Faerghus prince. How you train alone, how you eat alone, how you sit alone in class…"

Felix firmly nodded. "It's all true. I don't see the issue there, though."

"Having good relationships is essential for happiness-"

"Oh, give me a break." Felix cut in with a scoff.

" _As well as_ in combat." the advisor firmly continued, "It is in your best interest to have as many allies you can. Great things cannot be achieved without them."

"Hmph. You sound just like my old man."

"Is that such a terrible thing?"

"It can be."

Seteth tilted his head, curious as to what he meant. But before he could say a word, Felix quickly continued, "So you're saying it is in my best interest to make friends?"

"Indeed. To be frank, I envy you. Having friends is quite the asset… and I see that you have the potential to make a great number of them."

"As if the head of a massive Church doesn't have friends. There are so many devout believers who come by every day."

"That's true. But I speak of friends, Felix. People you speak with on equal terms with. There's a difference." he said before leaning forward. "You have many friends here- you should take care to attend to them. At least consider it."

"Hmph. Fine. I'll consider your advice." the swordsman said with a shrug, "But I'm not one to change to my mind."

"Good. That is all that I ask."

* * *

Seteth watched his niece carefully, searching her face for signs of any emotion. He couldn't understand what her issue was. Sitri had been as expressive as can be. Admittedly, Jeralt was far more quiet and stoic, much like his daughter… but even he laughed from time to time.

What was Jeralt thinking, raising her this way?

He had to find out what her childhood was like. Perhaps that would give him an indicator as to how he could best help her…

* * *

Byleth watched her legs tremble under the desk. Still, she sat up straight and at the edge of her seat, hoping to appear just as how he might want her to.

She hoped that the session would end quickly… not just because she was afraid of getting on her uncle's bad side, but also because Sylvain was waiting for her in the library.

Then, her first question came.

"Tell me, Byleth. How are you liking Garreg Mach?"

"It's good."

"Do you prefer it to your mercenary life at all?"

"Yes." Byleth said with a stiff nod. It was true, too. Here, she was doing far more than routinely killing bandits for a paycheck, and she wasn't at the mercy of people's preconceptions of her. That was already an improvement.

Much to her relief, Seteth nodded in return. So far so good. "Good. I am glad that you are enjoying your time here. And have you taken the time to speak with the other students?"

"Yes, I have." Byleth quickly answered. Her eyes remained fixated on him. Surely he would approve of her attentiveness...

Seteth closed his eyes. "Calm yourself, Byleth..."

"I'm calm." she insisted. She couldn't help but feel less relaxed, but she could only hope that her calm expression would do her a favor for once.

"This is not an interrogation. Feel free to just… sit back. Relax."

"I always sit this way." This was probably how the nobles all sat anyway. She didn't want to appear different from any other student who might have come to him.

"I do not mean to discredit you, but I've never seen a mercenary sit nearly as… stiffly as you." Seteth remarked. Finally, he relented and moved on. "Anyway, tell me about your childhood, Byleth. Did you have many friends growing up?"

Friends...

Byleth slumped back in her seat. She remembered meeting that one, plump, taffy-haired, young girl her brother had befriended ten years ago… along with the pang of disappointment she felt when that girl never returned to see either of them again. Her brother blamed Byleth for that, and Byleth blamed herself.

"Yes. I had friends." she said, avoiding her uncle's gaze.

"How did they treat you?"

She remembered the sharp sensation of a stone hitting the back of her head. Another rock had slammed against her back. And the laughs that had rung through the air when her face didn't flinch. It was painful.

"They treated me fine." she said.

Seteth gave her a dubious gaze. Still, he continued. "I assume you always made sure to give back to those you cared about."

There was that one time when she was 12. Her father was busy negotiating with a merchant.

A group of children had surrounded her, teased her, shoved her, called her names…

Just as she did back then, Byleth clenched her fist at the very thought.

"Yes. I gave back. " she quietly responded. Those kids didn't bother her again. And as she began to embrace the unfeeling persona she was given, no one else did either...

Her father scolded her for what happened that day, but she barely remembered his words. All she remembered were the looks on her tormentors' faces: afraid. They were all afraid.

For some time, she embraced that. She let people fear her. At least no one hurt her anymore.

However, after a few years, she began to regret her actions. But it was too late to change minds. Everyone in the streets had already made up their minds about her. Being known as the Ashen Demon among the merchants never helped.

The young woman's shoulders sank as more memories flooded her mind. Because of her mistakes, that name would probably follow her forever...

"I notice you're not being terribly forthcoming with me." Seteth remarked with an exasperated sigh.

Great. Another problem. Somehow, Seteth had seen right through her. "How so?"

"Oh, please. If everything was fine, then you would not be so afraid to interact with others." he responded, much to her dismay. "But fine. If you wish to keep your secrets to yourself, feel free to do so … for now, anyway. I just hope that you continue to get along with your peers."

She could only hope so too. Most of the students at the Academy were nobles, after all. The chances that someone could identify her were certainly far more slim here.

This was a fresh start. She had to make the most of it.

"So, what do you plan to do after finishing your studies at the Academy?"

Byleth's eyes flickered. What to do after the Academy… it was something she had not given much thought to. For so long, she had been either abused or feared by the world. For years, all she had ever hoped for was to fit in and be accepted by everyone else. Perhaps with her current group of friends, though, that wasn't too far out of reach.

But until then, thinking about anything beyond that would be far too daunting.

Seteth put down his pen. "Well, maybe you can think about it a little."

Byleth quickly stood up. "Okay. Thank you for your time, then."

"Oh, is there something pressing you have to do?"

"Yes. I have to meet Sylvain."

Silence.

"Sorry, what did you say?"

"I have to meet Sylvain to find something that I've been struggling to find..." she said. Seeing his eyes narrowed made her nervous…

Suddenly, she figured out how to smooth things over. "Oh, don't worry. We're not getting married."

Her uncle shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Oh, I shall worry very much. In fact, I forbid you to go with him. I'll help you instead."

Byleth quickly shook her head. "No, that's not necessary. Really."

"I will give you three seconds to answer what you are so intent on finding."

"Treasure!"

Seteth raised his eyebrows skeptically. "Three!"

Sweat rolled down Byleth's cheek. "Fine! It's magic… stuff. I struggle with magic."

"Two!" he yelled.

Byleth pulled on her hair.

"One!"

* * *

**Author's Note: Big thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter!**

**And thank YOU for reading! :)**


	13. Bloodline Of Flames

Bennett had been waiting for the perfect chance to speak with his uncle. He had so many questions to ask him, such as "What was Mom like?", "Was she good at magic?", and "Why did Dad leave the Church in the first place?"

So, when he heard that Seteth wanted to see him, he was more than ready to drop everything and rush right over.

When Bennett opened the door, though, he saw a few people he did not expect to see there. Byleth and Flayn were seated before a glowering Seteth. Beside the girls was a third chair, waiting for him. From Flayn's puffed up cheeks to Seteth's livid glare, Bennett already had a guess as to why they were all there.

Someone had spilled the beans about their trip to Hanneman.

Bennett made his way to the chair without a word. He immediately regretted his conversations with his father, Lysithea, and Hilda. While he hadn't said anything besides the fact that Byleth and Flayn had Crests, the fact that Flayn had brought them to Hanneman's office so discreetly was already an indicator that the test results shouldn't be shared.

However, in a world that valued Crests so much, how far would he have gotten by concealing the results anyway? Someone would have asked Byleth about her Crest eventually, and what would she have said?

His thoughts were interrupted by his uncle's sharp tone. "So. You three went to see Hanneman without my permission, correct?"

"I fail to see the problem with that, Father." Flayn indignantly replied, "We have every right to know about our Crests."

"I told you that it was far too dangerous to openly research your Crest!" he exclaimed, fuming, "Did I not?"

Bennett's eyes widened. "Wait a minute. You told me that you didn't know whether or not you had a Crest! You said nothing about danger."

"Indeed… I was concerned that if I had said that, you might be too afraid to come with me." Flayn remarked with a nervous smile. Turning toward her father, her face hardened with determination as she argued, "Besides, there _is_ no danger. In the 14 years that I have lived, not one thing has happened to you, and you already know what your Crest is! What is to say that something will happen to me?"

"Just because there has not been danger thus far does not mean that there won't be any in the future! You must believe me, Flayn…" Seteth desperately pleaded with his daughter.

"But what is it?! What is my Crest?!" Flayn stubbornly responded with a pout. "I am grown up and mature now, Father! I can handle it!"

With a huff, Seteth finally relented. "Fine. I will tell you a little bit. But you _cannot_ tell anyone else."

"Really? Oh, goody! Finally!" Flayn exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Seteth shook his head but continued. "Before you came in, Bennett, Byleth showed me a sketch of her Crest. It was indeed the Crest Of Flames."

Flayn's eyes widened. Byleth tapped her shoulder, but the young girl remained in lost thought.

"I… have never heard of that one." Bennett nonchalantly stated before leaning back in his seat. "How prominent is their noble family?"

"There is no noble family."

"Seriously?" Bennett said before throwing his hands up in the air, "I thought all Crests were wanted by the nobility. Is the Crest of Flames just the least wanted of those or something?"

"You haven't heard of the Crest of Flames?" Flayn quickly cut in. "Father, no one has possessed the Crest of Flames for over 1000 years. A hundred years ago, several researchers chose to exclude it from the list of researchable Crests, because they thought it did not exist anymore. Is that not the case?"

"They have…" Seteth replied, before closing his eyes. "... And that is how it should be."

The others remained silent, so Seteth continued. "Sitri and I had the Crest ourselves. And Rhea always told us that if we weren't careful, men in black robes would come and snatch us away. She said they wanted to harness the Crest for its exceptional amount of power."

"But Father, you cannot believe everything Rhea tells you." Flayn protested, "Keeping yourself hidden from the world would not solve anything! It would simply ruin your life."

"Would it?" he snapped, his face filled with concern, "Allow me to enlighten you. Sitri thought the very same way, when she was alive."

The twins exchanged glances while Seteth continued. "Sitri used to go out into town and make friends. She thought that nothing could possibly happen to her, that she was invincible, since of course, she had the Church's protection. But one day, she chose to tell a dear friend of hers about her Crest. The very next time she went into town, she was kidnapped… by men in black robes, just as Rhea said. If it were not for the right person at the right time, she could have been lost to us."

Flayn looked to her father in disbelief. "Were they ever found?"

"They were not."

Byleth and Flayn became silent. Bennett could tell that they were still thinking about the risks of being kidnapped, but he did not feel afraid. Rather, he was intrigued. "... So, we have a rare _,_ powerful Crest in our blood, is that right?" Bennett asked with a hint of excitement in his voice.

"The rarest and most powerful there is."

That statement was music to Bennett's ears. After all, he and Byleth were commoners, and they had plenty of room to move up the social ladder. Granted, there were plenty of wrong people he could tell about the Crest, which could lead the men in black to come all over again. But if they shared the information with the _right_ person, then surely they could gain status-

Surely _he_ would gain status.

And he knew just whom to tell to make that happen.

* * *

Seteth set his cup of warm green tea down on his desk before writing on the chalkboard he had brought into the room. "And therefore, to summarize…"

In front of his desk were Sylvain and Byleth, sitting side by side. Sylvain, who had been leaning dangerously far back in his chair, was close to rolling his eyes into his head. He raised his well built arm into the air and swung it around. "Excuse me. Professor Seteth."

Seteth turned to him, stunned. "This is not a class, Sylvain."

"Sure, sure." he replied, "But how long is this summary? The lecture itself was an hour, and I've got a special lady to meet with soon, sooo..."

"Oh, I am quite sure you would have stood her up to galavant with some other unfortunate woman anyway," With a huff, Seteth slammed down his piece of chalk. "But fine. Have it your way. I shall simplify the rules for you. I forbid you from going near my daughter or niece at any point in time." he hissed.

"Why, Sir Seteth?" Byleth asked him, "He agreed to be my friend."

"Okay. First of all, we talked about this. No 'Sir'. Just Seteth, or maybe even 'Uncle'! Secondly… you're friends with him?!" Seteth yelled, "Sylvain is just trying to seduce you. Believe me. Your relationship with him will not last long. Name one girl he has remained with for an extensively long time."

"Ingrid Galatea," Sylvain smugly responded, "We've been friends for basically forever."

Seteth looked at him dubiously. "Miss _Galatea_ was your lover?"

"You didn't say that she had to be my _lover_. … Although she could totally be, if she wanted to."

"Fine. I walked right into that one." he grumbled, "The point is that you are up to no good! And if you even THINK of wooing my daughter or niece-no, if you even LOOK at them the wrong way-then you will be in big trouble. I assure you. Any woman who comes near you is doomed to misfortune."

Sylvain shrugged. "It's a shame, since your niece is _stunning_. She's a solid 10, in fact. But fine, I promise. There are other fish in the sea…"

Byleth tilted her head. "Why are you calling me a number?"

"Forget him, Byleth," Seteth said with a sigh, "But good. I am glad to hear it."

"... Unless _she_ likes me back-"

"NO. You shall not!" Seteth yelled before shifting his gaze to Byleth, "Byleth, under no circumstances may you love that man. You will regret it instantly."

Byleth blinked twice. "O-oh, I never said that I loved him. We are just friends."

"And so we are! As I said." Sylvain replied with a chuckle and a flirtatious wink, "But let me know if being something more interests you at all."

Byleth was startled when she noticed her uncle's face reddening. "No," he snarled, "Never. Byleth, you shall never-"

"U-um, okay," she quickly agreed, "Y-yes, I will never date you."

While Sylvain's face twisted into a sorrowful one, his small shrug screamed with indifference. "What a tragedy. I think I'll need some time to get over it all…"

"Yes," he snapped, "Take your five minutes and be done with it. She's not meant to be with you."

The front legs of Sylvain's chair slammed back on the ground before rising into the air once again. "You know, I was never on a date with your niece. I just wanted to help her out."

"Yes, it's true." Byleth chimed in with a quick nod.

When her eyes met Seteth's, though, she remembered what she had to say. "Oh, I just remembered, Sylvain… I don't need your help anymore. W-with researching my Crest I mean. Everything is fine with that."

That wasn't entirely true; she still needed to know how removing her Crest would work. Granted, she still wasn't entirely sure what her Crest was. But she knew it was valuable and something her brother could benefit from. So, if he wanted it- which he clearly did- then that was all that mattered.

Sylvain raised his eyebrows and leaned back. "You sure you don't need my help? You said you were having trouble finding info about your Crest. There are a few places we could look, ya know."

"Yes, I am sure. My Crest is actually the Crest of Macuil. I just couldn't find where it was on the shelf." She noticed Seteth's small nods of approval in the background. She continued, " _But_ there is something else I need to know." Seteth stopped nodding.

"Really? What's that?" Sylvain asked her.

"... Do you know how to transfer a Crest to someone else?"

Sylvain's chair slammed on the ground. Then, there was silence. Both Seteth and Sylvain stared at her, with wide eyes and dropped jaws.

"You… want to get rid of your Crest?" Seteth asked.

Byleth's cheeks flushed. She sank in her seat without another word. Surely she couldn't have been the first person to wonder that...

"Well, that's a first." Sylvain soundly remarked.

Byleth sank in her seat a few more inches. Of course she was the first… everyone wanted a Crest. Having a Crest could snatch someone out of poverty and garner the attention of the nobility. And, from a military standpoint, having a Crest could grant you more power to defend yourself.

Yet Byleth was willing to give up those advantages.

What she _couldn't_ give up were her chances of having a good relationship with her brother. And those chances were going to disappear if she couldn't give him her Crest.

"My Crest means nothing to me."

"Byleth," Seteth started gently, "I understand that having a Crest can have its challenges. However, your Crest is a gift from the Goddess herself."

"A gift that my brother doesn't have. Ever since we found out that I have one and he doesn't, he's been more upset with me than before. As he said, it's unfair. If taking my Crest would make him feel better and accept me more, then I'll do it. It doesn't matter what it is, or where it came from. I just want it _gone_."

Sylvain uncharacteristically frowned. Still, he said nothing.

Seteth cleared his throat. "Er… well, I have never heard of a Crest removal or implant being safe. Or recommendable."

Byleth impatiently swung back and forth in her seat. "But there must be something I can do… please. I'll do anything."

* * *

Byleth and Sylvain walked down the hall in silence. Seteth had no answers, and Byleth was stuck with a Crest she cared little for. She continued to stare at her feet, making sure to avoid the gazes of any passerbys, not giving them so much as a glance. Sylvain's white and black boots remained in her peripheral vision, for he insisted on accompanying her to the dining hall.

"Yo! Gorgeous! What's up?" she heard Sylvain say.

Byleth remained silent.

Sylvain leaned over, making sure that at least a few orange spikes of his hair made it into her view. "Oy, did you hear me? I just asked how you were feeling."

"Sad."

Sylvain's peanut brown eyes dulled. "Still down about the Crest stuff, huh…"

"I just don't want my brother to be mad at me anymore. I want him to accept me."

"Uh, well, I guess this might not be my place, but he's had 18 years to do that. Is it really worth it to keep trying?" he asked her.

Byleth's shoulders sank.

"Hey. Don't be like that," Sylvain bended his knees to look up into her eyes. In a soft voice, he continued, "I'm not saying he won't come around. I'm just trying to say that… Crests in a family are difficult to work around. And sometimes, siblings don't come around. If I were you, I'd just try to surround myself with… you know. Better people."

Byleth raised her head as he stood back up. "Better people? Like whom?"

Her confusion and curiosity was met with his typical laugh. The concerned frown he wore on his face melted into a signature smirk. The Sylvain she had seen several times before was back. She waited for his wink, and soon enough, it came. "Me, obviously! Your _official_ friend! Didn't you ask me about it?"

Byleth's eyes lit up. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yeah." he stated with a smile on his face that was smaller than usual. Then, his smile widened once again, "I'll be the most fun friend you've got. In fact, I'll do you one better!"

Byleth eagerly leaned forward. "What could be better? … It's not marriage, is it?"

"Oh, Byleth. Byleth, Byleth. You've got to let the marriage thing go," he said with a sigh, "Besides, Seteth would kill me for that. And maybe your dad too. … Nah. Instead, think of me as another big brother!"

"Big brother…" Byleth repeated.

"Th-there's no need to get caught up in the logistics, Just know that you've got someone to look out for you, okay? If you've got a problem, just come to Big Bro Sylvain. Or just Sylvain. You get the drill."

"Well, if you're going to be like a big brother, then I'll do my best to be a good younger sister." Byleth said with a firm nod, filled with determination.

Much to her surprise, Sylvain let out a hearty laugh.

Byleth made a small frown. "D-did I say something wrong?"

"Nah. You did perfectly fine."

* * *

The sun shone down on Bennett's face. Blinding as the light was, though, nothing was brighter than Edelgard. She was sitting with the other two house leaders in the grass, deep in discussion. While he could not hear a word she was saying, he could tell from her confident facial expressions and hand gestures that she was soundly but gracefully dominating the discussion.

He had to wait for the perfect moment to speak with her. If he could share the details of his bloodline with her, then he would end up in her good graces and hit the jackpot. Guaranteed.

Suddenly, his view of the Imperial princess was partly blocked by Hilda, who faced him head on with a grin. "Heya, Ben. Spying on the house leaders, I see!" she said with a giggle, "Sooo? Are you into any of them? Judging by that look, I think you are! Ooh, is it Claude? … Yeah, I see it. It'd be a slow burn romance, though."

"Uh, _no_. Move, Hilda." he whispered before shoving her out of the way. "I don't like anyone, okay? I'm just… looking…"

The young woman continued giggling. "Uh huh. If you say so, lovebird!" she chirped in a singsong voice.

He continued to watch Edelgard from a distance… until his view was completely blocked again by a taller, dark-skinned man towering over him. "I notice you have been watching His Highness for a while now. Do you have business with him?" he spoke in a deep voice, "If you pose a threat to him, then I must-"

"Ugh, no! I have no interest in Dimitri." he hissed before pulling the giant man away to the side.

"Pssst. Dedue. That leaves Edelgard, then." Hilda whispered to the giant man.

Much to Bennett's chagrin, he was quick to notice a shadow looming over him. He angrily spun around. "Oh, who is it no-"

His spin was cut to halt when the pale gray figure grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm into a tight fold behind his back.

"H-Hubert..." he managed to say through the pain. "L-let me go…"

Hubert let out a quiet but sinister cackle. "So it seems Lady Edelgard has caught your interest, has she… Tell me. Just what were you planning to do with her?"

"I just need to talk to her…" he whispered.

"Oh no, Ben's in trouble! Dedue, do something!" Hilda commanded.

Dedue nodded. However, before he could even step forward, Edelgard rushed in and urged Hubert away.

"Hubert! That's enough!" she commanded. At once, her retainer released his grip on the young man in front of him.

Bennett let out a sigh of relief while waving his arm around. "Th-thank you, Edelgard. I really appreciate it."

"Of course, Bennett," she said with a nod, "Now, what brings you here? Did you want to see me?"

* * *

**As always, a big thank you to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing!**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. :)**

**In other news, I have returned!** **Last week was extremely stressful, and I was also feeling a little down, so I had to take a break from writing. But I'm back at it now!**


	14. A Secret To Be Kept

When Bennett uttered his cousin and sister's secrets to the Imperial princess, he couldn't help but feel a pang of regret in his heart. He knew he was using them for his own gain, he knew he was being selfish, and he knew that he was breaking an important promise to Seteth. Despite all of that, though, he just couldn't stop himself. This was his last chance to prove to the Imperial Princess that he was worth something. He had already made a fool of himself in front of her during his battle with Lysithea, and he did not have any formal training or Crest of his own to present to anyone. He was useless to the higher-ups. If not for having the blood of the Crest Of Flames coursing through his veins, then he would have nothing to help himself stand out from the rest of the crowd.

When Edelgard heard the news, she said nothing. Bennett saw her eyes fly from left to right, her thoughts remaining an everlasting enigma to him. He patiently waited for an answer from her, though. More than anything, he wanted to gain her good favor and hoped that she would provide him a leg up in society. Instead of receiving an answer, though, he got a question. "So, you're telling me that Byleth, Seteth, and Flayn all possess the Crest of Flames?"

"That's right. And I have the same blood as them." Bennett quickly added. He bit his lip and nervously looked off to the side, waiting for her response.

Edelgard pressed her hand against her mouth and looked away thoughtfully. "... This… this is a big deal, Bennett. You understand this, don't you?" she continued, her tone still utterly revealing of her disbelief, "To think that someone with the Crest Of Flames really _does_ exist…"

Bennett felt his chest rise. She knew about the Crest Of Flames. "I take it that you know of its importance?" he asked.

"... Yes. I suppose I do."

"And sinceI am of their bloodline… I must be important, somehow," he nervously but eagerly continued, "I don't have the Crest, but I'm in the same family, so..."

Edelgard raised an eyebrow. "What are you getting at?"

Bennett bit his lip and looked straight at her. He needed to be more direct. "Edelgard. Please, allow me to join your ranks, as a Black Eagle. I could come work for you after our time at the Academy, even. I don't have a Crest to show you, but I have the Crest Of Flames in my blood. So by virtue of my bloodline, please take me into your ranks. I'd be honored." he pleaded.

"By virtue of your bloodline, you say? And you have no Crest to show me?" Edelgard asked before indignantly pressing her hands against her hips.

"Well, obviously," he confidently continued, "Every noble cares about Crests. Don't you?"

"Well, they shouldn't." she calmly but sternly replied, "I am admittedly flattered that you wish to impress me, but you should do so with your raw _talen_ t, not your bloodline. Fascinating as your sister's situation is, I won't care which family you come from… or whether you even have a Crest."

"Really? No way," he stated with skepticism, "Crests grant you power. Power is how you get around here."

Edelgard sighed and closed her eyes. The two of them stood in silence. The only thing they could hear in the distance was a woman giggling nearby. When Bennett turned his head, he saw a redheaded man wrapping his arm around a lovestruck woman. They amorously strode down the courtyard together. In the distance, another was bitterly watching, on the brink of tears.

Edelgard silently gestured to him. "See that man over there? His name is Sylvain, of Faerghus. Heir to the Gautier household, and second son of its margrave." she stated.

Bennett frowned. "... Second?"

"Second. He has an older brother, Miklan."

"And he doesn't have his birthright?"

"He does not, no. The moment his younger brother was born with a Crest, his parents tossed him aside. Instead, they presented Sylvain with the inheritance and their adoration, leaving Miklan in the shadows." Edelgard said solemnly.

Bennett's eyes flickered. A familiar situation… a sibling without a Crest, failing to prove himself worthy while the sibling with the Crest had all of the luck. "So, what happened to him?" he asked hesitantly.

Edelgard looked to the ground with pity. "Just three years ago, Margrave Gautier disowned him, sending him to the streets of Faerghus. I hear that Miklan is now the leader of a band of thieves in northern Faerghus."

A thief. Was that what Bennett would become? Was that all he could amount to?

No, that couldn't be correct. Surely it wasn't.

"Now, while Miklan roams the streets at night and only emerges from shadows to snatch a woman's purse," Edelgard continued, "Sylvain is here at a prestigious Academy, gallivanting with several women at a time. And that is how much of a difference having a Crest can make, according to our society."

Bennett observed the simpering woman on Sylvain's arm, her eyes captivated by his charming but deceitful smile. "If he really dates so many women and breaks all of their hearts, wouldn't he have a bad reputation? He shouldn't mess around if he wants to seriously find someone."

Edelgard shook her head. "It doesn't matter. One after another, they will flock to him. So many women wish to marry him, bear him a child with a Crest, and join the nobility. Once such a child is born, any Crestless children Sylvain has will be cast away, left to fend for themselves in a world that doesn't want them. Then, the cycle will continue. It is a tradition many noble families follow; I know that the Gautiers are one of them."

Bennett's shoulders sank. If he had a position like Sylvain, he would use his status much more wisely. He would use his Crest to strengthen his combat skills. He'd marry the prettiest woman instead of remaining indecisive.

"I wonder... If Miklan and Sylvain were given the same opportunities growing up, and the inheritance of House Gautier went to the brother with more merits… who do you think would have won that battle?" Edelgard asked, with a hint of excitement in her round eyes. "That's the kind of battle that should really happen. Don't you agree?"

"But Crestless people like myself can't do anything," Bennett responded, with hopelessness in his voice, "I'm never going to be as good as someone else with a Crest.""

"If Miklan worked hard every day while Sylvain sat back, what would happen? Would Sylvain really win then?"

"... Well, I guess not…"

"Exactly. Now, I believe that Crests shouldn't be in this society at all. They're responsible for so much inequality, and they cause so many people pain."

"Well, it's not like you just can wish them away."

"True. Removing Crests would normally take generations." she spoke, before quietly adding, "And then there's the Church, which won't even allow that. Crests are believed to be gifts from the Goddess, after all." Then, she continued in her normal voice. "But for now, Ben, you have to prove you're strong through your own talents and efforts, not through your bloodline."

"... Do you really think I can do it?"

"I do. For as long as you don't give up, _anything_ is possible by the end." Edelgard confidently stated.

Bennett felt his face get warm as she tilted her head up to look at him. She, the Imperial princess, believed in him. She believed in him. As Bennett stared down at her earnest face, he suddenly noticed just how beautiful she really was. Her smooth skin, her large, purple eyes, her silky white hair, the soft smile she gave him…

Bennet turned his head away sharply and forced himself to snap out of it. He stammered, "... And if you don't mind, can you keep this secret between us?"

Edelgard looked down thoughtfully before responding. "... Yes, I think I can. I will only tell Hubert, but he won't tell anyone. You have my word." she swore.

"Okay," he stated, his cheeks flushing. "... Thanks."

Then, as soon as she came, she left, her purple ribbons brushing past her ears as her red cape flowed gracefully in the summer breeze.

Bennett stood there, filled with a newfound sense of pride. She believed in him. She really believed in him.

She was perfect. She was coolheaded, beautiful, powerful, smart, determined, and she believed in him and his goals…

He had to stop. He clutched his chest and felt his rapidly beating heart. His mind swirled with exhilarating but unfamiliar thoughts.

Just what were these feelings anyway?

Was…

Was he in love?

* * *

Alone with her thoughts, Byleth felt herself drowning in worry . If her mother had only told one person about the Crest Of Flames and was immediately betrayed, then surely just about anyone at this Academy could be an enemy to her. The students, the professors, the Knights of Seiros...

And on that note, she couldn't help but worry about the night she and Flayn went to get her Crests examined.

She remembered that night, when she looked outside before the test results, only to see a dark shadow that was supposedly the tree.

But when she looked again after the results came, the moon shone through the branches, with no large block of darkness in sight.

Sothis had suggested that there was likely a cloud nearby, but they both checked. The sky was perfectly clear that night.

As absurd as it sounded, someone must have been in the tree that night, watching. Byleth just knew it.

And if that was the case, then someone could be watching her in Garreg Mach this very second, plotting to kidnap her.

Byleth constantly scanned the courtyards, searching for someone who was watching her for far too long. There was no one… yet.

 _Sothis._ Byleth thought to herself, her legs quivering as she took her next step.

She heard Sothis's exasperated sigh. " _Again?_ "

_I'm afraid._

" _Of the men in black?_ " Sothis asked her, " _Yes, I will admit that the story you heard from your uncle is disconcerting. However, you have no choice but to carry on. Now, I shall remind you that, perhaps unlike your nun of a mother, you are quite handy with a sword and perfectly capable of protecting yourself. And do not forget that you also have me, an all-powerful being who can reverse time for you should the need arise. You will be fine. Please, calm yourself."_

Byleth shook her head and relented. _You're right. I'm sorry, and thanks._

" _There now! Are you not glad that I am at your side? I am sure you are._ " the girl proudly replied.

Byleth, though, stopped paying attention to Sothis as she felt a strange feeling overcome her. The feeling she was being watched… she _was_ being watched. She was sure of it.

Sure enough, when she turned around, she found a male student in a white uniform, curled up against a large tree and gazing at her. The only time he ever took his eyes off of her was to draw on his notepad. Then, the two locked eyes.

Byleth couldn't afford to let him draw her without her permission. What if he took that drawing to the men in black? She couldn't let him get away with it. So, with conviction, she charged over to him, ready to expose his nefarious plans to Sothis and the rest of the world.

" _No! Have you gone mad? He's just an artist!_ " Sothis insisted, " _You cannot go randomly accusing people, you know!_ "

"E-excuse me, Sir," Byleth began, ignoring Sothis, "What are you drawing? You haven't been following me around, have you? I hope you haven't been drawing me."

Sothis's angry yelling continued inside of her. Still, Byleth repeatedly tapped her foot, impatiently waiting for an answer.

The artist blushed, looked up from his notebook, and clutched it to his chest.

Byleth wrinkled her nose.

"O-oh, yes!" he sheepishly began, shyly gesturing to the building in front of him. "I was just busy sketching this building. Garreg Mach's architecture has been absolutely stunning, don't you agree?"

Byleth folded her arms and presented him a small frown. "Can I see it? Just to be sure?"

"O-oh, well, it's not quite finished yet, and I-"

The young woman immediately wrestled the notebook from his grasp, determined to see what he had drawn.

When she saw it, her heart sank. Indeed, it was a picture of the building in front of them.

Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice behind her. "What is going on here?"

It was her brother with a large frown on his face. "Are you bugging him?" he questioned her, before turning to the man seated before them. "Sorry, is she bothering you? Sorry, my sister is not exactly… normal."

The man looked to the ground. "Er… well, it's not that she's bothering me per se, but those pictures are very… private. I'm very shy about my work, you know. I wish that she wouldn't look at them."

Byleth continued looking at the sketchbook, flipping through the pages before the first picture she saw. Picture after picture, she observed the sketches of the dining hall, of the entrance, of the courtyard. She saw many students appear in the drawings-she even recognized a few people herself. She saw Mercedes and another woman praying together in the Church's chapel, Felix and Annette standing drenched in the rain, Bennett talking with Jeralt… but none of her.

"You're crazy, I swear," Bennett grumbled, "Sorry that she wasted her time. We'll be off."

"B-but…" Byleth began. But before she could continue, her brother pulled her away.

The man clung onto his sketchbook and pressed it to his chest, his face remaining red long after the twins had left him.

How careless he was, to have let them peer in at his precious works… for all of those pictures were for him to look at, and him alone.

… Or at least, _almost_ of all of them.

The young man scanned the area around him, his sketchbook held tightly to his chest. Finally, when he knew the coast was clear, he looked down at the sketch of the building… and flipped one page _forward_.

He smiled, satisfied at his work.

There it was.

A perfect likeness of Byleth Eisner.

* * *

Later that night, the young man left his dorm for a place far more in the shadows. When he entered one of Garreg Mach's countless chambers, he made a number of turns and descended many hidden stairwells, with only the torches nearby to guide him on his way.

Then, when he finally entered a passage that was completely pitch dark, he continued on, with his sketchbook in hand. He wandered aimlessly until he noticed a shut door with a green light persistently seeping through the cracks.

WIth a small knock, and the whisper of a password, the door opened for him.

"I have returned." the young man stated, as he showed himself before his dark robed comrades. None of them showed their faces, for they all opted to don large hoods and beaked masks instead.

"And so you have. But enough of formalities." one of them snapped, "You've been gone for longer than you promised. You better have a fruitful report."

"Indeed." the artist said with a nod, "I have some interesting news. In addition to Seteth and Flayn, we have two more subjects of interest: Sitri's twins with Jeralt, who have returned to the monastery."

The mage grumbled, "Well, we knew those children existed. _And_ we knew they had come back. Is that really all you found?"

"I do have more to share. Recently, I caught her children and Flayn, requesting a test for their Crests from Hanneman."

"And?"

"I saw the whole thing. I am an expert tree climber you know." the young man proudly spoke, "But Sitri and Seteth's daughters… Byleth and Flayn. They have the Crest Of Flames. They are the ones we want."

The mage straightened himself and leaned forward. Now, he was intrigued. "So. The rumor was true, then. The Crest Of Flames really does exist within the Church. Now, surely you must have gotten a chance to see what they look like. So if you could describe…"

"Already done." the artist said with a bow, before presenting them his sketchbook. "I made portraits of them, for you to see. Pages 57 and 58… but please, do not look at the rest."

"You are certain that they have the Crests we need?"

"I am positive. I saw it with my very own eyes."

The mage nodded with satisfaction when he looked at the portraits for himself. "Well done. We can have someone else take it from here." he said. He turned toward a shadowy corner of the room. "Well? Don't you think it's time to show yourself?"

At that moment, a large figure emerged from the darkness.

Before the artist stood a massive bulk of dark, silvery armor, looming over him. His mask resembled a skull baring its teeth and fangs. Massive spikes shot out from his shoulder pieces and wrapped around his waist. At the very top of his head were large metal horns. In his hand shone a silvery scythe.

The Death Knight was primed for his next victim.

"There you are. We have two new targets for you."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**The scene Byleth is talking about with the moon is at the end of Chapter 8 and the start of Chapter 9, for anyone who didn't remember that part! I did summarize it here, in case someone didn't remember but it was first mentioned there.**

**Anyways, as always, special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter!**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope you enjoyed it.**


	15. A Prince Undercover

Almyra: The Eastern Menace.

That's what Fodlaners liked to call that place in the world.

Fodlan: The Western Menace.

That's what Almyrans liked to similarly call that place in the world.

Long ago, the Almyrans attempted to invade and conquer Fodlan through the Leicester Alliance. Luckily, with the help of the Kingdom of Faerghus and the Adrestian Empire, the Alliance pushed Almyran forces out and built a wall. For good measure, the Alliance's strongest family, the Gonerils, were stationed there to ward off any further attacks, a job they managed successfully.

In the centuries that followed, Fodlaners and Almyrans remained enemies, with no chance of coming together.

That was, until one day, when a Fodlanic woman and an Almyran man met at the border. They fell in love at first sight and promised to meet there again.

So, they met there again.

… And again.

… And again.

And they continued to meet there, until the woman found herself resolved to give up her old life in the Alliance and run away to live with her lover in Almyra… as his _queen_.

Thus, their forbidden union officially began.

The result of that union was a prince, named Khalid Nazar.

But for as long as he remained in Fodlan, he didn't go by that name.

For in Fodlan, he went by one name, and one name alone.

Claude Von Riegan.

* * *

_Khalid first arrived in Fodlan at the behest of a grandfather he had never known. He had received an earnest letter from his grandfather one year ago, speaking of the urgency of the situation and pleading with the boy to come meet him. The Duke was ailing, and after having lost his son, he had no one left to whom he could pass his responsibilities as Leader of the Alliance._

_Before he knew it, the young prince was whisked away to House Riegan. He was given a new room, new clothes, a new name, and so much more, all intended to mask his true identity and heritage. However, much to his grandfather's internal dismay, Claude insisted on keeping a part of his hair in a braid and ear piercing, as subtle reminders of his culture back home._

_To celebrate his grandson's arrival, Duke Riegan hosted a ball. Claude was looking forward to it. In Almyra, large gatherings were the norm. They were often filled with music, jokes, and plenty of food._

_But the party was not as welcoming as he had anticipated. No one asked Claude to dance. Instead, they stared, whispered, and kept their distance, much like how people used to back home. Back home, they saw him as not an Almyran, but a Fodlaner. And in Fodlan, it was clear that while Fodlaners didn't know he was Almyran, they certainly treated him like one._

_Of course, he understood why they acted like that. After all, before he showed up at House Riegan, people thought that Duke Riegan had no other heirs left, leading them to assume a reputable noble such as Count Gloucester or Duke Goneril would take over. So, Duke Riegan was bound to ruffle a few feathers when he instead declared a teenager who was previously unheard of in any part of Fodlan as his heir. The fact that the young man enjoyed pulling pranks and crafting poisons didn't exactly help his case either._

_So he, the "beau" of the ball, sat back, watching everyone else gallop back and forth with their partners while the horns and violins continued playing in the background..._

_Until he felt a tap on his shoulder._

_When he tilted his head to the side, he found himself turning himself around in his seat to get a better view._

_Beside him was a girl around his age, wearing a shining, golden pink dress with frills near the edges, and a golden pearl necklace near her neck. Her pink hair was adorned with white lilies and carnations. She was holding a fan up in front of her mouth, highlighting her golden eyeshadow, rosy cheeks, and hypnotizing, round, pink eyes._

_Claude quickly stood up. Then, after a second had passed, she moved her fan down to her chest. Her scarlet red lips shifted into a smile._

" _You… well, you… um. You're… looking wonderful tonight." he managed to get out._

_The girl giggled. "Isn't it lovely? I picked all of this out myself, actually."_

" _Well, you have great taste." he said with a small smile, "I take it you need something from me, right? What can I do for you?"_

" _Well, I mean, this IS a ball. And I am currently standing here, alone, without anyone to dance with..." she declared before holding her hand out fetchingly._

_Claude looked at her incredulously. Why was she asking him, of all people, to dance? Clearly no one else wanted much of anything to do with him.. He looked around to see if there were any other admirers who were ready to come and steal her away to the dance floor._

_However, there were none._

_It was just him and her._

_He stared. Finally, after a moment, the girl impatiently sighed. "Oh, you boys are all the same. So oblivious… and yet, so adorable." she said, before playfully tapping his nose._

_"Oblivious, eh…"_

_"Fine. Since there's no one else to ask you for me, I guess I'll do it myself," she relented with a huff. Then, after straightening her posture and presenting with a smile and a curtsy, she spoke again, "Sir Claude Von Riegan. Would you join me for a dance?"_

_Claude blinked twice. She really did it. She was asking him for a dance. Still, he remained collected and gave her a nod. "I would love to, Miss… what's your name?"_

_"Hilda."_

_"Hilda…?"_

_"Oh. Hilda Valentine Goneril."_

_Claude's mouth slightly opened upon hearing that name. Goneril, the family responsible for fighting the Almyrans who got too close to the Fodlan border._

_Suddenly, the two heard the horns and violins change from playing a lively song to a romantic serenade. As the dancers changed partners, Hilda happily clasped her hands together and skipped in place. "Ooh, I love this song! And I am SO ready to get out there again. Dancing out there in this pretty dress makes me feel like a princess." she stated while spinning around. Then, she gave Claude a smile. "Well, I suppose you're my prince for this next song. What do you say we get out onto the dance floor?"_

_Claude jumped at the word 'prince'. He had to eye her carefully… she didn't know about his true identity, right? Right. She couldn't possibly know._

_She wasn't related to Duke Holst Goneril, was she? He was the current head of House Goneril and the commander the Almyrans feared the most. Surely she wasn't related to him that closely. Maybe she was his niece, or his cousin…_

_If anyone found out who he really was, he would be in grave danger. Especially if it was Lorenz who found it. He'd have to relinquish his claim to House Riegan and rush back home before the assassins made it to his door._

_But if Holst found out somehow, then there would be no going back home._

_He'd be a dead man._

_Hilda giggled. "You look like you've seen a ghost. What's up?"_

_Claude's face instantly shifted back into a carefree expression. "Nah, it's nothing." he replied, before offering her his arm. "Shall we go, Princess?"_

_Yet in spite of his smile, Hilda kept watching. She squinted at him, suspicious._

_"... Is something wrong?"_

_"You're worried about something." she declared._

_"Why would I be worried? I'm feeling perfectly fine," he told her with a smile._

_"You're smiling, but your eyes seem to be saying… well, something else! At least in my opinion."_

_They stood there in silence, watching each other for a moment. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Hilda let up. "Oh well, I guess. You'll still look cute with me on the dance floor. Come on." she said._

_After walking towards the center of the room, Claude felt that someone was watching him. Then, when he looked at everyone else, he saw that it wasn't just one person watching. All eyes were on them._

_Ah, well._

_He might as well own this moment._

_So, he took a deep breath. Then, as the violins started playing again, they waltzed back and forth in the center of the room, dancing the night away…_

* * *

"So, Princess. What plans do you have for the rest of the day?" Claude asked Hilda after they exited the Golden Deer classroom and stepped into the sunlight.

"Hmmm… I dunno. I'll probably find someone to clean my room. Then, I'll eat some pastries and take a niiiice, loooong nap…" she said while carefreely stretching her arms.

"Yeah? What excuse are you going to use this time to get your room cleaned?"

"Sprained wrist."

"But you were just writing in class."

"Exactly," Hilda smugly responded, "I sprained my wrist from taking notes! And all the vocabulary Jeritza was using may have given a headache. … Believe me, the acting will sell the whole thing."

Claude let out a laugh and shook his head. "That's so like you, Hilda."

"And what are you going to be doing?"

"Well, I'll probably grab something to eat. Then, I'll start investigating the Death Knight situation."

Suddenly, Hilda stopped, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Claude, are you really going to investigate him? He sounds scary! What if he comes after you?"

"Don't worry. I've got my ways of snooping around." he told her with a confident smirk, "Besides, it could come in handy at some point! Wanna join? It'll be fun!"

Hilda threw her hands up. "Nope. I'm not getting spooked by this Death Knight guy. You're on your own, Claude."

Without another moment, Hilda marched straight off, with Claude letting out a chuckle as he saw her off. "Bye! See you tomorrow, yeah?"

He stood there, watching as she walked away. Finally, after a few seconds had passed, Hilda spun her head around one last time. She offered him a giggle and a wave before turning around a corner and disappearing.

Claude then continued walking through the courtyard. To the people who showed him friendly faces, he happily waved. To the people who glared at him… he still waved with a wide smile on his face, hoping that he would someday win them over with his charm.

"Claude. Claude. Just what are you up to? I demand to know!" he heard Lorenz angrily call out to him from behind.

Claude's eyes flickered while he kept walking. Finally, Lorenz behind him caught up to him, fuming as he marched right alongside him. "There you are," he snarled, "I must have a word with you, you know. What you did in that classroom was absolutely… horrifying! Can you not take your studies seriously?"

"Well, if it isn't Lorenz Herman Gloucester! What can I do for ya?" Claude asked with a tightened smile.

"It's _Hellman_ Gloucester, Claude. Lorenz _Hellman_ Gloucester, heir to the Gloucester household and future leader of the Alliance!"

"Yeah, I thought that was my grandfather's job, but you seem to have made up your mind about it, so no point in correcting you. By the way, I'm starving, and we're nearing the dining hall right now. So, I'm gonna head in now. Wanna join?" he asked.

Lorenz wrinkled his nose. "Ugh. Use your words, Claude. It's 'I'm _going to_ head into the dining hall, and _would you like to_ join me? Honestly! Even your Fodlanic tongue is subpar. You're obviously a foreign fraud."

Claude opened his mouth. However, instead of responding, he hastily headed into the dining hall without another comment. Much to his annoyance, Lorenz raced after him inside, much like a pestering merchant. "What are you doing here?" he asked while Claude picked up a plate and put a piece of roasted chicken on top.

Claude smiled, his eyes screaming with irritation. Still, his tone remained calm as ever. "I don't know, Lorenz. What does it look like I'm doing? Perhaps you can provide me the input you've been dying to give me all day. And yesterday, and the day before that! Please! Enlighten me."

"Uh, no. I'm not here to give you advice, I'm here to question you about your outrageous misdeeds! Just what happened in the classroom?!"

"Oh, 'misdeeds', you say?" he asked while pouring a handful of vegetables on his plate, "I was practicing my hobby while the teacher bored us all to death. Even you had to admit he was boring. Next question?"

"You call potion-making a hobby?! No! Your hobby right now should be honing your noble qualities. Oh! Forgive me. Did I say ' _honing_ your noble qualities'? I misspoke. I meant getting them in the first place!"

Claude shrugged with a smile on his face before plopping down on a seat. To his dismay, Lorenz sat down right across from him. "Well, I mean, that's what I'm here at the Academy for, right? To learn from other nobles, like yourself! I do hope you'll train me in the art of snobbery, Professor Lorenz! Please, teach me your ways!"

"You're insufferable."

"Then stop bothering with me. Why can't we all just be friends here? I don't get that."

Lorenz cackled while indignantly sitting down himself. "You think I will be friends with _you_? You're kidding yourself."

Claude closed his eyes and pressed his hand against his forehead. "Look… just, why are you here?"

"Because you are the heir to House Riegan?"

"... Look. Is this about your father? I know that your father wanted to succeed my grandfather, and I'm _sorry_. But that title as official heir is mine now. The deed is done."

"This isn't about my father," Lorenz snarled, "This is about you. You are a suspicious individual. Surely you must understand that."

Claude stretched his arms and began eating. This again.

Lorenz continued. "Allow me to remind you just how important House Riegan is, because I don't think you understand just about _anything_. The Alliance is led by a roundtable of five nobles who represent the rest of the population. They make decisions together, consult each other… but even that roundtable needs a leader. The leader is indeed your grandfather, and it's… such an important position to hold."

Claude rolled his eyes and briefly picked at his food. He nudged the peas aside and searched for the remaining pieces of meat he craved instead, paying no mind to the other vegetables there. "Lorenz, I already know this. Alright?"

"Alright, then I will get to the point then. House Riegan was on the brink of collapse, until they suddenly revealed you as its heir. You, who were never groomed for such a role!"

"Right. I know. … Because I was there." Claude replied with a tightened smile, in spite of his internal exasperation.

"But where were you before then? Are you even a true heir to House Riegan?"

"This again?" Claude replied with a small chuckle, "Yes, I am a true heir. I have Riegan blood coursing in my veins. If I didn't, then I wouldn't have my Crest. Want me to show you right now?"

"It isn't about the Crest, Claude!" Lorenz yelled, "It's… you! You can't lead! And I saw the face of that newcomer you brought here, I think Bennett was his name. He agrees. I'm one-hundred percent sure! And the nobles in the Alliance are feeling just the same as he. No one thinks you're great for this role. Absolutely no one!"

Claude casually stuffed a piece of rice in his mouth as Lorenz spoke. Then, with his mouth full, he replied, "An I ill gow infoo if! 'Kay?"

"No, no you won't," Lorenz bitterly retorted, before leaning over and whispering, "It's quite obvious that you're not from here. And believe me. There are people investigating you. _I'm_ investigating you. And once I find out who you really are, I shall expose you for the fraud you are and take my rightful place as leader of the Alliance."

Claude blinked twice and stared at him with no visible reaction. "Haff fun, buffy! Good uck!" he said cheerfully.

"Oh, I don't need it. _You're_ the one who's going to need it, after I'm finished with you."

After Lorenz stood up and marched away with a huff, Claude continued eating as if nothing had happened.

It was only after Lorenz had left that a frown formed on his face.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Many thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter as always. And thank YOU for reading! Hope all of you are well.**

**So, Claude stuff. I put a lot more emphasis on Claude's Almyran heritage and the risks that come with it… because I intend to have the beans spilled to the rest of the crew at some point. And when that happens, there will be plenty of internal conflicts, and questions asked, and whatnot…**

**I feel like it was a missed opportunity to not talk about his identity in the gam. So, it's something that I want to explore, along with the fact that Claude is an Almyran prince, while Hilda is of the Goneril family. I foresaw there being conflicts there as well.**

**I hope you enjoy what is to come!**


	16. Stuck In The Middle

Byleth strode down the courtyard. As she made her way past the classrooms, she took a peek in each and every one of them, hopeful that she would find Bennett. She had asked her father where he thought her brother might be at this hour, but even he wasn't sure.

It was only when she reached the fishing pond that her heart finally filled with excitement. There, a group of mages were practicing their spells and tossing them into the air above the lake under Professor Jeritza's watchful gaze. And much to her happiness, she noticed her brother at the edge of the group, wearing an oversized robe and struggling to hold a ball of wind magic together. Time after time, breezes escaped from his fingers and blasted in his face, leading him to get glares from Jeritza instead of the praise and attention he so desperately desired.

So, she gave a small nod to the friendly man by the fishing stand, wandered closer to the glistening water, and dashed over to him with a glint in her eye. She was aware that their interactions in the past had been less than ideal, but today would be the day that things got better. She was sure of it.

Determined to work through the uneasiness that would come with their conversation, Byleth calmly looked Bennett in the eye as she approached him.

However, much to her surprise, he didn't appear irritated at the sight of her. Instead, he looked more nervous than anything. He continued to concentrate on the magic in his hand, bringing Byleth happiness in the process. "You're practicing." she remarked.

"I am," he stated.

Byleth tilted her head and leaned over. "You look happier today. What's up?"

Bennett then scanned the area for any eavesdroppers. After making sure that Jeritza was instructing another student, he leaned over and whispered, "I think I'm in love,"

Byleth's eyes widened with excitement and surprise as her lips curled into a small smile. "You're in love?" she repeated with a hint of disbelief, "That's wonderful. Who is it? Is it someone from the Golden Deer?"

Bennett continued to blush just at the thought of her. Intrigued, Byleth kept going. "Is it… it's Hilda? … No, Lysithea. It's Lysithea. Right. Right?"

Bennett released the magic from his hands. He looked up to the sky with a goofy grin plastered on his face. When Byleth leaned closer to him, he cautiously but finally whispered into her ear. "Edelgard."

Byleth jerked her head back. Her eyes flickered. "Edelgard… the Imperial Princess?"

"Yeah. She's wonderful."

"Oh." she replied, still in disbelief, "O-okay. Um… so, have you spent a lot of time with her? How do you know that you really love her?"

"I've spent enough time to know that she's the one," he stated, "She's beautiful, has status, and is compassionate towards me. What else is there to know?"

"Maybe, but maybe it's too soo-"

Bennett then suddenly jumped and startled Byleth, shushing her and hauling her off to the side. The young woman frantically looked around, but stopped when she saw who was standing before them.

In front of the twins was the Adrestian princess herself. She tossed her white hair aside and fixed her purple ribbons with a shy smile on her face. Then, she confidently sauntered forward.

Byleth frantically looked between the princess and her brother with awe and excitement. Determined to not ruin their chances of a happy union, she dashed behind her brother, not even daring to take a peek from behind the edge of his sleeve.

However, much to her surprise, Byleth heard the click of Edelgard's high heels against the pavement. The princess leaned over, her eyes fixated on Byleth with guardedness but also fascination.

"It has been a while, Byleth."

Byleth opened her mouth to respond, but her brother quickly cut in with a wide smile on his face. After warily nudging his sister away, he fixed his hair while the other students continued practicing. "H-hey, Edelgard! I mean, greetings, Edelgard." Bennett said with a nervous but wide smile on his face.

Edelgard finally turned her attention to him and offered him a smile and a nod. "And a good day to you, Bennett. I see that you are at magic practice."

Bennett widely smiled. "I am. And I'm working hard! I'll become strong, just as you say."

"Wonderful. I look forward to seeing how you improve," she said.

In a desperate effort to keep the conversation going, the young man quickly changed topics. "The weather is just lovely today, isn't it?" he fumbled.

Edelgard pursed her lips together, wrapped her arms around her body, and shivered. "I find the area by the water quite chilly." She then turned to Byleth for reassurance. "How do you find the weather? Surely a mercenary such as yourself must be accustomed to this weather."

"It's fine," she stated, hoping to steer the conversation towards her brother, "Ben and I were both raised to travel and learn how to fight. I always stuck with the sword, but Bennett tried all kinds of things growing up. My father had never encouraged it at the time, but Bennett came back to studying magic time and time again. He can be very persistent, actually."

"Yes, I would imagine. But your dedication to the sword is fantastic!" she confidently stated before a small blush appeared on her face, "And… It's what saved my life. Your efforts were truly extraordinary. I should have been more careful, but I am happy that you were there."

Byleth tilted her head, baffled by the Imperial princess's fixation on her.

But after re-examining the blush blooming on her cheeks and watching her brother's smile twitch and shoulders sink, she finally realized that she was the spotlight of this situation.

Clueless as to why Edelgard was focused on her, the young woman frantically spun in circles, desperately searching for an excuse to get out of the situation she was stuck in.

Meanwhile, Bennett continued to speak while nudging his sister further away. Much to his chagrin, Edelgard just inched more in her direction. "So! Princess Edelgard!"

"Oh, just Edelgard is fine. I may be a Princess, but at this Academy, I am just like everyone else."

"Right. Right!" he said with a nervous laugh, "Of course. Edelgard it is. Right. So, what are you up to?"

Edelgard pursed her lips as she looked off to the fishing pond. "Well, Dimitri, Claude, and I will be meeting with the Archbishop to get our first monthly mission soon." she said.

"We have monthly missions?" Byleth whispered to her brother, surprised.

Edelgard, who heard the whisper, responded with a small nod. "Well, yes. The Church requires that students in the Officers Academy put their skills to use for Fodlan's benefit." she spoke, "The task each House goes on will be decided by the Archbishop at the beginning of the month. Of course, for the safety of the students, we can only undertake missions while being accompanied by the Knights of Seiros. At least, until the Death Knight issue is resolved."

Bennett's eyes lit up instantly. And, judging by her brother's dazed expression herself, Byleth could already tell that he was dreaming of impressing everyone on the battlefield, especially Edelgard. "So, we'll get the chance to prove ourselves? Perfect." he declared soundly.

Byleth, on the other hand, felt herself get weary. Going out to clash swords with a band of thieves was far from an ideal mission for her. Even though she had spent her a large chunk of her life fighting criminals and even embracing her demonic identity, Byleth wanted to get away from it all and build a life doing something else.

But now, she was stuck in the military academy, at the behest of the Church's Archbishop.

There was no escaping the path laid before her.

"So, what kinds of missions are we doing?" Bennett excitedly asked her.

Edelgard looked at the other students thoughtfully. "Well, I hear that one house is going to be taking care of thieves, another will be suppressing an uprising in Faerghus, and the third will be just given some time to relax and continue training."

Byleth blinked twice and pressed the list against her chest. "So, do we get to choose whether we can relax? That sounds like a good option…"

Edelgard raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? How disappointing. I for one think that your talents could always be useful on the battlefield."

As Byleth sensed Edelgard focusing on her, she desperately sought for a way to distract her and pull the princess's attention back to him. She looked out to the fishing pond, hoping that its waters would give her inspiration…

A lightbulb went off in her head.

Water.

"L-look at all of this water!" Byleth remarked, "I bet there are so many fish in there! Why, I just want to dive in and see them for myself!"

Bennett's eyes dimmed. "You can't be serious. Don't tell me you're going to dive in there."

Edelgard, on the other hand, found herself shivering at the very thought of diving into the water. "Well… I will admit that swimming is not my favorite activity in the world."

Byleth's eyes widened. Swimming. That's what she had to go off of.

"But _it_ is mine! Wow, Edelgard, how could you, um… not like swimming? It's like we have nothing in common. Now, BEN, on the other hand, hates swimming too!" Byleth declared with sweat rolling down her cheek. She stood at the foot of the fishing pond, staring at the reflection below her. "Swimming is the best! Not that you two would ever understand. You should just… um… go off together while I swim here!"

"No. Don't jump." Bennett ordered. "We'll cause a scene if you do. Plus, you might get sick, which would cause more problems."

"Well, I just might, because swimming is one of my passions!" Byleth nervously stated before the two of them, "I can't see how anyone would hate swimming!"

Much to Byleth's surprise and disappointment, though, Edelgard went right along with it. "How curious… are you really bold enough to dive into a fishing pond? What a unique spirit…"

Byleth's shoulders hopelessly sank while Bennett's lips quivered. Suddenly, the young mercenaries noticed someone's massive shadow near their feet. With blank stares, both twins slowly turned their heads.

Towering above them was Professor Jeritza. His eyes narrowed. "Eisner. Do you wish to be kicked out of this class?"

Bennett's arms immediately flew up. With a nervous smile on his face, he conjured up a ball of magic concentrated in his hands.

Suddenly, much to his surprise, Edelgard strode forward and looked at the professor in the eye. "Do not give him trouble. It was my fault that he got distracted. " she commanded him.

Jeritza and Edelgard stared at each other for a second, giving each other a knowing glance.

And, much to the twins' surprise, Jeritza snarled but relented, by only saying, "Fine. But get back to work."

The twins exchanged glances, with both wondering the same thing:

_What was that about?_

* * *

Handling a minor rebellion in Faerghus.

That was the mission for the Blue Lions this month. But the more Dimitri stared at the mission details laid out for him on paper, the more it made him feel apprehensive about what was to come.

Granted, the mission was not necessarily concerning for him personally, but it certainly would be for one of his classmates. And as house leader, it was his duty to make sure that everyone was made comfortable at Garreg Mach. So, he had taken it upon himself to confront the Archbishop Lady Rhea herself about her decision-making.

Luckily for him, she had a few minutes to spare.

When he entered the Audience Chamber, he noticed Rhea's dark shadow blocking the light that streamed through the stained glass. Still, he could see her warm smile and the outline of her mint green hair in spite of the shadows on her face. "The Goddess welcomes you, Dimitri."

Dimitri quickly bowed in her presence as he neared her. "You have my gratitude, Archbishop. I wish to speak with you about the mission the Blue Lions was given for this month." he urgently stated.

"I understand." she calmly spoke, her voice remaining as soothing as always, "But first… I wish to speak with you about the _other_ quest I gave you. About Byleth."

Ah yes.

Lady Rhea had given Dimitri a quest when she came to Garreg Mach a few weeks before.

However, as willing as he had been to take a request from the Archbishop, he couldn't help but feel baffled at what she had asked him to do.

"I have done my best with your requests, Lady Rhea. Byleth has been fitting quite well with our house. I'm sure she feels at home." he said with a smile. Then, his face stiffened, and he gave the Archbishop a firm nod. "And, Byleth has also been kept safe. She is honing her abilities, but so far, no harm has come to her."

Lady Rhea closed her eyes and nodded knowingly. "Good. I expect that you keep it that way."

"Yes. Of course, Lady Rhea. We would wish that for any student, naturally." he remarked.

And it was true that he cared that Byleth was safe. After all, every student at the Officers Academy was there to learn combat and stay alive, and Byleth was no different.

But he remembered what Lady Rhea had said at the time: that he must watch Byleth specifically. He had to ensure that she was getting along well at the Monastery, guide her around whenever necessary, and prevent her from sustaining any major injuries, should such danger arise… at least for the time being.

But why Byleth? What was so special about Byleth to warrant such protection?

And what did she mean by, "For the time being?"

The young prince looked down, his blonde bangs hiding the top of his face, while his mouth was twisted into a puzzled frown.

While he couldn't help but express himself in that moment, but he did feel nervous remaining hesitant. After all, the Archbishop was eyeing him carefully, staring him down with her round, half-open, green eyes. "Young Prince Dimitri…" she spoke in a calm but stern voice, "Protecting Byleth is a very important task… far more important than anyone could imagine."

The prince sighed. "I understand… Byleth is indeed precious to all of us in the Blue Lions house, I am sure. But… I also _don't_ understand. Is she not just like any other student here? Or is there something that makes her different from everyone else? I know that she has trouble expressing herself, but I would not go so far as to say much beyond that."

The Archbishop sighed. "I understand far more than you do about her, so I also understand how… confusing my request must seem. But when she first arrived at Garreg Mach, I foresaw her having a much greater purpose than anyone could have ever imagined. A role that would be far beyond anyone's comprehension. And that… is all you need to know."

"And what kind of role do you see, Archbishop?"

"Only the Goddess knows… I am just the Messenger." she softly declared, before looking up to the Church's roof. She held her hands out and joyfully smiled as if the Goddess Herself was watching her. "The Goddess knows everything. She watches over all of us, and she blesses us with so many wonderful things. Beautiful children, plentiful crops, bountiful knowledge, blessed Crests…"

Dimitri hesitantly nodded. "I understand, Madame. The Goddess is there for everyone. That… that is what the Church preaches."

"I am so glad you understand Dimitri. You have always been my favorite house leader, of the three of you."

"Is that so?"

Lady Rhea lightly chuckled, "There is a reason I put her in the Blue Lions house, Dimitri. It's because of you. The Holy Kingdom of Faerghus has remained steadfastly loyal to the Church since its very inception… more so than the other two regions. And ever since, your people have continued to remain true to your word, diligent with your tasks, and loyal to a fault. It would only make sense that I charge such a grand responsibility to the Kingdom's heir."

Upon hearing such praise for his kingdom, Dimitri's chest swelled with pride. "Is that so?… Well, I am so glad you feel that way, Archbishop." he stated, putting his uncertainties aside for the time being.

It was true that he had many questions, but hearing her words reminded him of his duty. He had been raised to honor the faith the Church had in Faerghus, and if protecting Byleth was really that important to Lady Rhea, then he had to obey her without question.

"Yes, Archbishop. Of course. My family has not failed for you for so long, and we shall continue to faithfully serve you." he stated. He swiftly bowed as the Archbishop beamed at him.

Then, as he was bowing, he felt a piece of paper inside his pocket pressing against his thigh.

The mission.

He swiftly sprang back up and pulled out the paper. "Um. Right. Yes. I wanted to speak with you about this month's mission."

The Archbishop's green eyes lit up as she nodded. "Yes, child. Of course."

"Well… I see here that we'll be helping a cohort of Knights suppress a rebellion in Faerghus… led by Sir Lonato Gildas Gaspard."

Lady Rhea frowned and solemnly nodded. "Indeed." she sternly told him, "He has been hostile towards the Church for quite some time. Now, he is going so far as to gather troops to fight. He went too far, too long ago. His efforts must be put to rest by the end of this month, at the latest."

"Well, yes, but… just what do you intend to do with him?"

"He will be brought back to the Church for a hearing. However, if he resists, then the Knights will kill him." she responded with a huff, as her nose was pointed up high, "Your team will be dealing with the aftermath."

"Er… right." the prince hesitantly replied, nervous about what the ultimate outcome would be, "Now, surely you must be aware that Lonato is the adoptive father of one of my classmates, yes? His name is Ashe Ubert."

"I am aware."

Dimitri raised his tone, hopeful that Rhea could be reasoned with. "Well, you see, Ashe has always told me about how caring Lonato is… along with his piety. Given all of that, I would figure that we can settle things more peacefully. Not just for Ashe's sake, but for the soldiers' sakes as well. If we could just talk to them-" he pleaded.

Then, Lady Rhea raised her hand, and he went silent. Then, her lips suddenly shifted to form a frown.

"Dimitri. Lord Lonato is out of line." she said sternly, "No matter who they are, be they civilians or highborn nobles, we must deal firmly with anyone who threatens to inflict harm upon the Church or its believers."

"But perhaps I should give Ashe the option of staying behind, since this is a sensitive matter-"

"No. He should come." she quietly stated, her serene tone returning.

Then, with her head held up high, and her eyes filled with conviction, she quietly spoke once more:

"It is about time everyone learns the consequences of raising a weapon against the Church."

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**Special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter. And, as always, thank YOU for reading!**

**Hope all of you are staying healthy!**


	17. The First Missions

"Well, I think we have everything on the list…" Ashe trailed off, his finger running down the list he had been given. Byleth peered over, grabbed a dark piece of chalk from the wooden cart in front of them, and crossed out the final item on the list.

The young man's freckled face lit up. "Thanks! Let's get going." he happily remarked as he began to tug the wooden cart along. Byleth looked behind the short, young man's hand and watched the small, wooden cart with food and a handful of weapons pass her by.

Ashe had asked Byleth, of all people, if she wanted to come with him to the market. He had said that he wanted some company and wanted to get to know his classmates better outside of the classroom.

Normally, Byleth would have declined to go with him in favor of some quiet time in the library. However, unfortunately for her, Seteth just so happened to be nearby at the time. And of course, he was more than insistent that Byleth pick up a few items for him as well and become closer with more people… particularly people who weren't Sylvain.

" _Ashe is a kind, dutiful young man. And the best part is that he is friendly and not a reckless womanizer!" he had told her at the time, "He would be a wonderful friend for you to have. Possibly the best, even."_

So, Byleth was here… stuck.

At least he was pleasant.

Suddenly, Byleth heard the happy shrieks of two young children as they circled her. Byleth warily held her arms up defensively as she felt one tug her cape. The other wrapped his arms around Byleth's knee and looked up at her with a smile on his face.

"U-um. Can I help you? Are you hurt?" she hesitantly asked them, "What's wrong? Did you lose something?"

The two children released their grips on her and giggled simultaneously. You're sure a funny lady!" one of the children commented.

Byleth frantically pressed her hand against her chin while pondering.

Funny lady. Funny lady.

Why was she funny? What had she done to amuse them just now?

" _What is the matter?"_ Sothis asked irritatedly, " _You are acting like a fool, you know. These two are just children! Little ones!"_

 _I… I don't know what they want._ Byleth warily thought to herself. _I didn't tell any jokes...Should I tell them a joke?_

Byleth felt nervous about conversing with them. After all, her interactions with other children when she was younger never went well, so what was she supposed to say now?

She finally sighed and relented. If it was a joke they wanted, then it was a joke that they would get. So, she walked up and loomed over them ominously, while staring them straight in the eye. Her lips tightened into an unsettling grin. "Hey, kids. I can tell you a joke…" she spoke.

Then, as she had somewhat expected, the children stopped smiling and rushed behind Ashe. He raised his eyebrows, which partly disappeared behind his messy, silver gray bangs.

Byleth let out a sigh in resignation. Without saying another word, she took the cart's handle and lugged it away on her own. Children never surprised her. Nothing had changed over the years.

* * *

"That lady is funny and scary," one of the kids said, with the other nodding in agreement.

Ashe looked to the two, smiling children. He kneeled down on one knee. "Pardon me, but where are your parents?"

"We're orphans. Lady Rhea took us into the monastery."

"Oh, no… how terrible." he replied, his chest sinking. Once a moment of silence had passed, Ashe offered them a sympathetic smile and patted them reassuringly. "Don't worry. You may not have a parent's love, but you are safe here, and things can only look up from now on."

"You really think so?" one child asked.

"I do. I was an orphan too, you know, along with my brother and sister."

"Oh! So... so, how did you deal with it?" the other shyly asked, with a hint of hope in their eyes.

A small blush appeared on Ashe's cheeks as he spoke, "W-well, I'm kind of nervous to admit this, but I used to be a thief. I didn't have Lady Rhea to take us in, so things were more … dire. I had to make ends meet for the three of us… But becoming a thief is actually bad! So, don't steal."

"Are you a thief now?"

"Oh, goodness no." he said with a bashful chuckle, "Those days are long gone. … I was nine, I think, when I once entered a nobleman's mansion. And I was caught."

Fear filled the children's faces. "Did you go to jail?!" One of them yelled.

"Did you get beat up by the bad guys there?!" the other chimed in.

"Thankfully… no. The nobleman didn't turn me in. Although he very well could have." he calmly replied, "Instead, he took my siblings and me in. He fed us, taught us how to read, and even raised us as if we were his very own children, alongside his real son. Meanwhile, on my end of things… well, I changed my ways and learned everything I could from him."

The children sighed with relief.

Ashe happily chuckled and continued, "And because of him, I'm here. A student at this… very, very expensive Officers Academy. Now, I'm even interacting with nobles… including the prince of Faerghus himself!"

"Really?!" they simultaneously yelled, staring at the young man in awe.

Ashe knowingly nodded. Then, as he spotted Dimitri in the distance speaking to Byleth, he pointed at them. "In fact, look! He's talking to the funny lady, over there!"

With jaws open and wide eyes, the children spun to look where he was pointing. "Can we meet him?! Please? Pleeeeaaasse?!"

After noticing Byleth's slumping position, though, Ashe gestured for the two children to come closer. "Yes! But before you go… I think the funny lady means well. You should talk to her." he whispered.

The children exchanged uncertain glances. "Do you know her?"

"Oh, yes! We're friends. And to be quite honest, I don't know her quite well… but I believe in giving everyone a chance, and I think you should too."

The children nodded obediently. Then, without another moment of thought, they raced over, screeching. Byleth jerked her head towards them and jumped. The two children made a beeline for the blonde prince and encircled him, failing to heed Ashe's words and happily screaming at the top of their lungs. "IT'S A REAL LIFE PRINCE!"

"Do you have a horse?" One pestered while tapping his hand.

"I WANNA SEE YOUR CARRIAGE!" The other squealed, "TAKE ME TO YOUR CASTLE!"

Dimitri nervously laughed and hesitantly patted the head of one of them as they continued to race around. "Oh, erm… he-hello…!" he stuttered, "You two are very… um… energetic…!"

Ashe frantically raced over. "Y-your Highness, I'm sorry, I didn't think they'd come up so loudly, they just really wanted to see you and-"

Dimitri held up his hand with a gentle smile. "It's all right, Ashe!" he yelled over the children's laughs. They continued to tug on his hand, looking up to him with absolute wonder and joy. "I'm, er… not that great with children, but I'm certainly happy to provide them a friendly face to look at. May I ask where their parents are, though?"

"They're orphans."

"Ah, I see. How unfortunate…"

Byleth swiftly leaned down and waved to the children. Hesitantly, one of them approached. "Yes, Funny Scary Lady?" he asked her.

"The prince is happy to see you, but he's also very busy. He just came to see Ashe. … Maybe you can visit him another time."

"Please don't make that commitment..." she saw Dimitri nervously mouth towards her.

"... When he's not busy. But he's very busy, so-" she quickly added, refraining from offering her forced smile in the process.

"Y-yes, children!" Ashe frantically chimed in, "His Highness is very busy! But when he has more time, I'm sure he'll come see you."

The children exchanged glances and looked up to the prince. "Can we come later?"

The prince gave them a reassuring smile. "Yes. Sometime in the future. But for now, Ashe has important, grown up things to talk about. … Why don't you go with Byleth instead?"

Byleth let out a gasp while the prince's cyan eyes looked to her apologetically.

Ashe looked on as they left the screaming children with Byleth. He would have loved to watch them himself, of course, but the prince's request came first. So, he obediently nodded while the children trailed behind a departing Byleth. "Y-your Highness! What an honor it is." he told him, "I'm so sorry that I brought you into that. It's just… seeing those orphans' faces light up…"

"Right. As an orphan yourself, you wish to help inspire them," Dimitri recalled.

"I am honored you remember, Your Highness."

Ashe looked to his prince for a smile and a nod, but they never came. Instead, the prince wore a solemn frown. "Your Highness? What's wrong?"

"... Ashe. We need to talk."

* * *

Bennett impatiently tapped his foot against the stone flooring of the Golden Deer classroom. He sullenly folded his arms and grumbled to himself. He wanted nothing more than to find out whether he would be battling the thieves or handling the rebellion in Faerghus.

He couldn't just sit around, like what one house was supposed to be doing. That wouldn't be useful.

No, he had to prove his mettle to everyone. He had to prove that he could get better.

Surrounding him were the other Golden Deer members he had met at the sleepover-save Claude, who was supposed to come back with the monthly mission details. Lysithea was beside him reading a book, while the giant Raphael was on his other side… stuffing his face with food, as usual. Hilda and Marianne were sitting together at a table across from them. Lorenz was testing out a smelly new perfume, while Ignatz, the artist, remained his victim as specs of the perfume kept flying onto his glasses. And then there was Leonie, who was playing with the string on her bow with a smug smirk on her face.

Bennett leaned over to Lysithea, much to her irritation. "Hey. You're studying magic, right?"

"Obviously. Now, stop bothering me. I'm busy." she hissed without removing her focus.

"I was in the Golden Deer Magic, Section D class yesterday, but you weren't there. Why is that?"

Lysithea rolled her eyes. "Because we were in different sections. Now, please. I have to focus." she curtly responded before begrudgingly holding the book up to her face.

Bennett raised his eyebrows. "There are sections? How many?"

He waited for an answer from her. However, she never looked up. All he saw from her was the pale, thin fingers grasping on the book, and her voluminous, snow white hair resting on her back.

Suddenly, someone plopped on the table between the two of them. Bennett's eyes dimmed when he saw two yellow beige legs, a dark, uniform skirt, and the signature orange hoodie tied to the girl's waist. Above him was Leonie, smiling. Most people would interpret it as friendly, but all Bennett could see was a smile that mocked him. The constant rivalry, the constant failures he had in the contests they had against each other, in front of his father…

"I can answer that." Leonie butted in, "For each weapon type, there are 6 section classes, starting with Section E. There's E, D, C, B, A, and S."

"S?"

"... Yeah, no one else knows why either."

Bennett sighed, resigned. Of course, he had flopped this battle. So, he would be stuck in the lower class, all just because of one time. "Well, I'm stuck in the second worst class, then."

"Eh, I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about it. People rarely start out in anything above the C section. And if you think you're really great and prepared, you can move up a class!"

He looked at her incredulously. "... Really?"

"Totally! And like, I've never heard of anyone entering the A or S classes right away! People usually only get in after they've done some more work."

"Interesting…." his voice trailed off. He leaned back in his chair to look at Lysithea. "Hey, what section are you?" he asked her.

"B. Now, please keep quiet!" Bennett angrily heard her grumble from the other side of Leonie.

Leonie immediately spun towards her with a glint in her orange eyes. "Whoa, really? You must be really good, then!" she started, "... Say, how do you feel about training with me sometime? I could use an opponent like you!"

"Oh, no," Bennett said with his eyes narrowed, "She's helping me first. She promised. Why don't you study with Dad instead?"

"Well, I have to train with other people too! You can't just learn from one person all the time! Why are you so concerned anyway? Do you need extra time with her, since you can't catch up with me?" she asked him mockingly.

"Oh, I'll catch up to you real quick, I can guarantee that."

"Really? Your fight with Lysithea says otherwise!"

"That was 2 weeks ago! I'm much better now and you're going to see that real soon."

Lysithea furiously slammed her book together and stormed behind the teachers' desk. Upon seeing the scene for himself, another of their classmates, Raphael, waltzed over and wrapped his massive arms around the two. Leonie and Bennett's heads pressed against his white shirt, which visibly struggled to contain his massive body. Their eyes remained wide at the buttons that seemed ready to pop out at any second, hoping that they wouldn't end up flying into their faces.

"Come on, guys! We gotta be pals! How else are we going to a team?" he bellowed sincerely, "We have to stick together. After all, we're the Golden Deer!"

Leonie sighed, albeit stubbornly. Her tiger orange hair brushed against Raphael's shirt as she turned to Bennett. "Fine. I'm sorry."

Bennett sighed. "I'm sorry too," he begrudgingly mumbled back.

"Aww, see?" he said before hugging them tight, "That's how we do it! C'mon everybody! Group hug!"

Bennett and Leonie looked up at the other classmates in front of them.

There was Lorenz, who was primping his hair in a handheld mirror. "No thanks, Raphael. I have to keep up my noble appearance, as always. For I will be asking a lady out to dinner tonight!" he proudly proclaimed.

Leonie and Bennett simultaneously wrinkled their noses. "He's asking someone out? But he's so cheesy about it," he whispered to Leonie, "You know, when I first met him, he just randomly announced, 'I am Lorenz Hellman Gloucester'. It's so embarrassing…"

"Right?" she whispered back, "He's like this all the time."

"And that haircut of his…"

"And that haircut of his. Trust me, he thinks it's some fancy noble cut, but it just looks stupid."

Bennett and Leonie looked at each other and paused… before solemnly nodding in agreement. Even if they would never get along about anything else, they could definitely find common ground with this.

"... I'm still gonna beat you, though." Leonie grumbled.

"Oh, you're going to eat it very soon, just you wait."

With Leonie and Bennett still wrapped tightly in Raphael's arms, the large man happily lunged towards Hilda and Marianne, leading both girls to jump at once. "Hilda! Marianne! Group hug!"

As Raphael leaned over, Bennett's nose was close to touching that of Marianne, who meekly cupped her hands over her mouth.

It was at that moment that Bennett noticed how… depressing she looked. Her silky, sky blue hair was tied into a messy braided bun, with strands of hair pouring past her ears. Her bangs cast a shadow over her downcast, opaque chocolate brown eyes, which were filled with timidity… and pain.

Bennett watched her eyes flicker, before she completely hid her face behind her hands in shame. "Um… are you okay? You're Marianne, right? What's wrong?"

Yet without a word, Marianne quickly drew back with her hands pressed against her chest.

"Marianne?"

"S-sorry," she finally but quietly mumbled, her soft voice ringing through the air. "I'm not very good at t-t-talking to people…"

Before Bennett could respond, Hilda leaned over and spoke first. "Oh, hush, Marianne! Come on, you can do this! You can say hello. Ben's a friendly guy, you know! Real friendly. Right, Benny?"

Hilda sternly looked to him for reassurance, which he quickly gave. "Y-yes, of course. I'm Bennett Eisner. Or, Ben! You can call me Ben, whatever you like. We met before, but I'm, er… happy to see you again!"

He held his hand out for her to grasp. Without looking at him, though, she hesitantly mumbled, "M… M… Marianne Von Edmund…" before giving him her feeble hand.

Bennett could tell that she was miserable, but he wasn't sure what to say. Chances are that she wouldn't want to open up… so what else could he do?

However, luckily-or maybe not so luckily-he didn't have to, since Lorenz butted in. His mirror dropped against the wooden table as he stared at her with awe. "Von Edmund? As in… y-y-you, you're… Margrave Edmund's daughter?"

"Margrave Edmund?" Bennett asked, completely clueless.

"Are you daft?" Lorenz asked, absolutely aghast, "Margrave Edmund is the Alliance's most skilled orator! Oh, how lucky I am to be in the same class as the sister of THE Duke Holst Goneril, the daughter of the esteemed Countess Ordelia, and now, the daughter of Margrave Edmund! Oh, how foolish I was to have not known about you before. Where have you been, all this time? I've never seen you at any balls, or any gatherings…"

Marianne looked down to her pale hands. "That's because I never go to them. My adoptive father always tells me I should go, but… I can't…"

Lorenz frowned. "What an absolute pity. I would have loved to have gotten to know you before. Please, we should take the time to get to know each other at some point in the future. We are the future heirs of houses, after all. It is imperative that we form alliances and learn to work together in the future, to protect the entire Alliance. That's a noble's duty, after all!"

Hilda's eyes dulled. "Heyyy, you know, it's not right to just place expectations on someone because of who their family is! That's so much for someone to live up to… I personally wouldn't be able to handle it. Just like I can't handle these missions! So. Much. Work." she declared, as a shadow appeared behind her.

"Well, then, I'm afraid you're out of luck this month." the shadow spoke.

Everyone at the tables turned towards the figure.

It was Claude, with a roll of paper between his two fingers.

Hilda looked up at him with a small smile, while Lorenz raised his eyebrows in disapproval. "Well, Claude?" he asked, almost in an accusatory tone, "What do we have to do?"

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hi! Hope you're doing well.**

**Special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this. And thank YOU for reading!**


	18. Unwanted Roles

It was the day of the mission.

Byleth's mission, that is. There was nothing for Bennett to do.

Claude had told him that the Golden Deer had a mission this month. However, much to his dismay and Hilda's delight, all the house leader really meant was that they would be conducting a meaningless investigation about the Death Knight.

Most students were afraid of the Death Knight. With Seteth's silence and the Church knights revealing so little, students were forced to speculate based only on rumors. Someone saw a mysterious horseman who may have killed a few guards. Bennett knew it wasn't true; he knew that the Death Knight wasn't a threat. If he was, then the Church would have told them. But Claude was insistent on investigating the rumors again, "just to make sure."

Still, Bennett didn't have to worry about that today. He only had to worry about seeing Byleth off at the entrance, per Jeralt's request.

Of course, it was only natural that she'd have the first chance at a mission.

Byleth was frail but fast. Awkward but agreeable. Clueless but, when wielding a sword, capable. She thrived, practicing her moves in the superior Sword Class B with the attention of an Imperial Princess, while he continued to struggle turning heads.

She was the better one, and he was useless in comparison.

Given all of that power, one would think that she'd be racing to the entrance, eager to start her first mission and advance in her journey to become a formidable mercenary.

Instead, she was missing, with her classmates searching left and right for her… which made Bennett's blood boil.

Marching indignantly through the marketplace and the dining hall didn't help cool him off either- nothing could. How could she waste such a wonderful opportunity? She was so capable, and yet she just wasn't taking it seriously. Why?

Her classmates were searching for her at the dining hall, in the marketplace, and the training grounds. But when she was nowhere to be found, Bennett knew where to go.

When they were children, Byleth always went fishing with their father. He remembered how the two would always stay up late with their lines cast into a river. She'd always doze off not long after the sun had set, her small, round head resting on their father's large arm.

She was always at peace while fishing, so… the fishing pond. She had to be at the fishing pond.

When Bennett made his way there, he scanned the area, intent on searching for any passersby who seemed out of the ordinary. And lo and behold, at the corner of the fishing pond that was farthest from the rest of the monastery, there was one lone fishing rod cast into the water, with a hooded figure huddled close to it.

Byleth.

After letting out an exasperated sigh, Bennett walked all the way over.

As he got closer, he could see the strands of her scruffy teal hair spilling from her dull blue coat's hood. Her legs, which were covered with baggy pants designed for Faerghus's frosty breezes, remained curled close to her body. After a moment, she looked up to him with her soulless, blue eyes.

In contrast with her, Bennett appeared far more refined. He had dressed himself in the Academy uniform, consisting of black pants, a buttoned up shirt with silver and black buttons on the front, and a handkerchief tied at the collar. His hair was finely combed and resting around his face. His eyes were dulled, unamused.

"You're fishing." he said.

Byleth remained silent.

"Why in the world are you fishing?" he asked her.

Much to his annoyance, she looked away without a word. Then, she finally spoke, "I don't want to go."

"So you're just going to run away and fish?" he asked in utter disbelief, "You can't just… do that. Everyone's looking for you."

"I can and I will," she mumbled with a hint of sadness in her tone.

Bennett ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't understand," he said, his nose wrinkling, "The missions you and I used to go on since we were kids are just like the one you have now. Suppressing a rebellion is-frankly-child's play. I don't see why you're acting like this. And you... you have everything at your disposal! You have everything you could ever want."

"That's what you think." she mumbled.

"That's what I think? Of course it's what I think. Is it not the truth?"

"No."

"Then what is it? Why are you backing out now?" he asked her irritatedly. He bent over to get a good look at her face.

Her eyes remained fixated on the pond beneath her boots. "I… I'm ashamed. "

Bennett threw his hands into the air. "Ashamed? Now? … Why are you ashamed? Especially since you have such a gift, I just… I just don't understand why you don't use it."

"Having a gift doesn't make things easier for me…" Byleth's shoulders sank as a frown formed on her face. "Everyone will know me as a killer… again. They'll know about how I don't express anything while I kill, making me seem heartless. I… I can't go through that anymore."

Bennett turned speechless. In the years before, Byleth had always quietly followed her father with her sword, never questioning their lifestyle. The fact that she wanted to run away from it all now…

Why now?

He silently plopped down next to her. "You've never talked like this before. What brought this on?"

"N-nothing, I just wish I could start a new, quiet life… one where I won't have to do this kind of work anymore. Maybe I could be a nun instead, or a merchant… or something where I can save people's lives, instead of ending them." she remarked, her eyes sparkling with hope.

"You're horrendously naive. … I thought you would know better by now," he said while pressing his fingers against his forehead. "Is that all you see this for? Do you really see yourself as just a killer?"

"Well-"

"Is that how you see Dad? You think Dad's a heartless killer?"

Byleth stared at him, her eyes wide. "Never." she quietly stated.

Bennett stared at the sky before closing his eyes again. He sighed, before relenting. How foolish she was, to be so concerned with being heartless…

Was that really how she saw herself?

"You know, they have a name for mercenaries like us, when we save villages in need." he stated before turning his head to her, "Can you guess what they call the mercenaries, after they're done with their jobs?"

"... No."

Bennett rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat, "Heroes, Byleth. They call them heroes."

"Heroes?" she said, her voice quivering a little, "I'm no hero…"

"You've disarmed, knocked unconscious, or completely taken out countless criminals before. Criminals who take up arms and are a threat to innocent people. To those innocent people, you are a hero. A hero who's capable of helping them when they need her."

Byleth shut her eyes and remained silent.

Just thinking about her hesitation against a formidable foe made Bennett fear the worst for her.

Their father would never forgive himself…

And, admittedly, neither would he.

"Don't falter," he told her sternly, "This is a new place, but the rules are the same. If you pause for just a second, someone will strike you down. Especially you- you're strong, you're quick, but someone who leaves no openings and has an incredibly strong hand might be able to send you flying if you're not careful. You understand?"

Surprised, the young woman quickly nodded. "Yes. Right. … Thank you for caring."

"Well, Dad's always busy these days, so someone else has to remind you of that. This is your job, Byleth. Take it seriously. People need someone like you. Don't shirk from having such important responsibilities and a potentially powerful reputation… especially when others would do so much to have them."

His sister bit her lip and stared downward.

After a small period of silence, she finally looked up to him again. "It hurts me that we aren't as close as we used to be," she quietly said, her eyes dimming as the words left her mouth, "Can't things ever go back to the way they were? Before we met Edelgard, before we found out about my Crest. Maybe we could even be a duo on the battlefield… like we used to be."

Bennett wordlessly shook his head, leaving the two twins silent once more.

* * *

Hours after the Blue Lions and the Black Eagles had departed, Bennett found himself alone in the training arena, cleaning the area and wiping the weapons clean of dust. Of course, given how lax most of the Golden Deer had seemed, it was no surprise that he was the only one there at this point.

… Well, almost the only one.

"I can tell you're standing there," Bennett called out without so much as a glance up from his chore.

The figure standing in one of the pillar's shadows nodded, bowed his head, and stepped into the sunlight, revealing his confident smirk.

"What are you here for, exactly, Claude?" the mercenary grumbled.

"You, obviously."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Me?" he said skeptically.

"What? Am I really not allowed to find you fascinating?" Claude asked, "Because you really are, you know." Suddenly, Claude jumped down into a squat before rolling back on the stone pavement. Then, as quick as he rolled down, his back sprang up, and his legs folded into a pretzel, mimicking Bennett's own gesture.

Confused as Bennett was, he continued to avoid his watchful stare. "I don't get how I'm fascinating to you. I also don't know where you're going with this, but what I _do_ know is that it's nothing in my interest."

"My, what a charmer you are. I'm sure that the popularity you want so badly will come right away with that attitude of yours," Claude said with a sigh.

Finally, Bennett put down his sword. "Fine. What do you really want with me?"

Claude innocently smiled and shrugged. "Oh, nothing really. I'm just trying to make conversation, raise your spirits…"

"There's nothing to raise. We aren't going on a mission, and I have to accept that."

Suddenly, Claude changed his position so that he leaned against a pillar, carefreely kicking his legs out in the process. "It doesn't _sound_ like you've accepted it."

"Well, it's not like I have a choice."

"Oh, c'mon," the house leader said, "Aren't you a mercenary, like your dad? Surely you must've gone on a couple of missions before."

Bennett looked aside thoughtfully. "I've been going since I was old enough. … Maybe, like, 12."

A beat passed. Claude's jaw dropped in awe. "12?! … You're kidding."

"It's true."

The noble sighed and folded his arms, looking sympathetically off to the side. "Jeez… your mother must have been worried sick. I would've imagined that she would've had a hard time, seeing her kids waltz off into the battlefield like that…"

"My mother died shortly after I was born," Bennett said in a matter-of-fact tone. As much as it hurt him to have never known her, it was the way of things, and he accepted that.

"I see. … Sorry for bringing that up." Claude said in a low voice, "So, you were always moving battlefield to battlefield with your father."

"Yes."

"But… if you've gone on so many missions, then surely you can spare one and go next month." the noble said with a shrug and a smile, "Just spend more time prepping for now. You could use a break."

"Uh, no. That's pointless."

"I disagree," Claude insisted, "Relaxing is great! In fact, why don't you and I sit together in the courtyard and chat? Something tells me that you could use a cup of calming tea."

"I don't need any calming tea!" the mercenary angrily grumbled.

Claude quickly threw his hands up, "Alright, chill. Fine. Not a tea fan. I get it. Fighting is all you do. Fine. Go train. Train super intensively then, the way you probably did back when you were a mercenary."

Bennett shrugged, "Well, it's true. I did train hard. My father trained the both of us to be strong mercenaries, so that's what we are."

"I see…"

As carefree as his smile was, Bennett could sense intent in his attentive stare. Claude was watching him closely, and he knew it.

Bennett sighed. "Something tells me that you're not here for a normal chat. What else do you want with me?"

Claude laughed, "So wary! There's no need for that, my friend. I'm just… trying to assess you a little. You haven't been making my job easy, but not to worry. I enjoy the challenge."

The mercenary folded his arms with the sword in his lap. "Really. Why are you trying to do that?"

Claude lightheartedly chuckled. "Come now, Ben. I may be the Golden Deer's house leader, but I'm also a strategist." he said, before snatching the sword from Bennett's lap. In an instant, he leapt up and playfully waved the sword around while continuing, "Strategists must understand their team members' strengths and capitalize on them."

Bennett wrinkled his nose and turned away from Claude's poor form. "So? Mine is magic, plain and simple," he stated dismissively before getting up to put away a bunch of lances.

"Is it, though? Are you really sure that there is nothing else?"

"I'm positive." he firmly stated before picking up another sword to wipe it off.

Claude waved his weapons around, his swings careless but his gazes remained incredibly sharp.

"... You're not fooling me, pal," he finally said, "Magic may be what you prefer by a long shot, but we _both_ know that it isn't your best weapon."

"... You don't know that.

"Ah, but I _do_ know that." Claude said with a confident smirk, "You just said so yourself."

Bennett's eyes narrowed, "You didn't just-"

Claude knowingly nodded, "You've been rigorously trained to be a mercenary since you were a child. If you really were trained to be a mage, then you'd be better at it by now. … But you're not. So, what _are_ you good at?"

Frustrated, Bennett's grip on his sword tightened. Claude looked down at his hand as his well with intrigue. "Magic is the best that I can do," Bennett insisted, "I… I may not have been able to practice it as much more than a hobby, but it _is_ my strength, and I _will_ set myself apart with it."

Claude shrugged, his feet shifting as he spoke. "Fine. You can set yourself apart with that… too. But first-"

Then, he lunged with the sword in his hand.

Bennett's eyes widened. He dodged and raced out into the open, only for Claude to chase him.

Much to the mercenary's surprise, the house leader's attacks suddenly became more precise. He was eyeing one direction and sending his sword straight in another, while Bennett blocked him off. He sent a few fake swings in Claude's direction, stopping just short of his opponent's face before striking again, hopeful that his swings would ward him off.

Then, with a few swift blows, Bennett successfully knocked the sword out of the noble's hand with ease. He pointed his sword at Claude, who simply smiled.

He may have lost, which didn't surprise the strategist whatsoever- swords were not his strong suit, anyway.

However, he had seen what he needed to see. He saw the firm grasp Bennett had on the sword's handle, the powerful swings, and the few openings his opponent granted him.

Bennett was a swordsman.

Claude looked at the s with a wide smile as he dusted himself off. "So! You… you know your stuff." he said, panting, "Why didn't you say something before?"

Bennett looked down at the ground without a word.

Swords.

He hated to admit it, but that was what he trained in, always being pulled away from the tomes he wanted to study so much to fight with a weapon his father could teach him in.

And he was taught alongside his sister.

He was a part of a set with her… the inferior half of that set.

And now that Claude knew the truth, he was going to go back to being the person he disliked being most.

He was going to be the inferior swordsman.

* * *

**Annnnnd we're back, folks!**

**As always, special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter!**

**And of course, thank YOU for reading!**


	19. Loved Ones We Don't Know

**Andddd we're back, folks!**

**Thank you everyone for your patience! We are back with more of this story, so I hope you enjoy what's ahead!**

* * *

With a massive shield and black cloth in his grasp, Dimitri watched the Black Eagles from behind a wooden cart and searched for its house leader.

He knew that Edelgard could handle herself, but life was uncertain; the worst could befall her at any moment. He just needed to make sure she had everything she needed to keep herself safe and to see her just one last time before she departed.

He couldn't lose her. Not her.

Still, even from afar, the Black Eagles looked striking. There was the small young man who was ever ready to brawl someone else, as well as the girl who had a habit of screeching at the top of her lungs and running anytime someone approached her. They all had so much energy. And they would likely turn out to be formidable opponents, when the three houses would have to battle each other later in the year...

Suddenly, after inching forward, he brusquely bumped into the wooden cart. Much to his surprise, there was a student slumbering inside with a book on his face. A second later, he startled awake. "Ugh, do you mind? I was trying to have a nice nap in here without Edelgard catching me," he snapped. He indignantly climbed out of the wagon.

However, his irritation quickly turned to resignation, for right next to Dimitri was a very irritated Edelgard, with Hubert giving a death stare behind her. Her nose wrinkled. "Linhardt. What did I tell you about sleeping on the job?"

"That sleeping during the day is bad and unproductive and that I should stop avoiding work. Yes, I know." he replied dismissively.

"I'm trying to help you. You have so much potential, you know. If only you didn't sleep around all day, you could easily-"

"So you've told me repeatedly," he yawned.

Edelgard looked to her subordinate. "Hubert, if you could escort Linhardt to the other students…"

Hubert swiftly bowed. "As you wish, milady."

But before he could take Linhardt by the arm, the student sighed and threw up his hands. "I know the way. What a bother you two are…" he remarked with another yawn.

Edelgard exasperatedly shook her head as the student was led off. Then, the moment she noticed Dimitri, a hint of competitiveness flashed through her eyes. "Don't get the wrong idea, now," she stated, "He's a fantastic healer and an asset to our team."

"I don't doubt that."

"Don't you?" she said with a smug smirk, "In the battle between our houses, we will destroy you. That much I can be sure of."

Much to her dismay, the prince let out a lighthearted chuckle as he looked down at her.

"Oh?" she indignantly replied, "Is that a challenge?"

"In some ways. I'm sure the Blue Lions will provide you with quite the challenge," he said as his laughter died down, "But I also admire your spirit and strength. Really, I do."

Edelgard sighed and shook her head. "You laugh now, but this is not a joking matter whatsoever. You will learn to not laugh at the Empire's strength. Or mine."

"Of course. Understood." he replied with a warm smile.

Ever since they came to the Academy, Edelgard and Dimitri had occasionally engaged in lighthearted banter. Admittedly, Dimitri thought it was quite nice. They were very friendly conversations.

But he and Edelgard weren't true friends.

If only things were just a little different…

Dimitri smiled at the princess, who awkwardly smiled at him in return.

The princess sighed. "Well, I suppose I should be-"

"So you will be heading on a mission today!" Dimitri suddenly shouted, desperate to keep the conversation going. After all, he had gifts to give her- she couldn't leave just yet.

Edelgard squinted at him, slightly confused at his disposition. "I… am. We will be heading to the Red Canyon to deal with some bandits."

The prince sighed. "Ah, yes… that sounds simple enough."

"It certainly seems easier than the mission with Lonato." Edelgard started with a sigh, "But I suppose that we must follow all that the Archbishop orders, even if what she wants are executions."

Dimitri solemnly nodded. "That is… true. I'm not looking forward to this battle, to be completely honest with you."

Edelgard bit her lip and folded her arms. "Lord Lonato must know that his efforts are futile. He has no reasonable chance of winning that fight, you know."

Dimitri frowned and sought to change the topic. He lifted his round shield. "But... er… I brought something for you, just in case you might need it."

Edelgard's mouth dropped. Clearly, she hadn't thought the shield was for her. "O-oh, a shield from the market, I presume."

"On the contrary!" the prince proudly stated, before brazenly slapping his hand on the metal. Much to his relief, the shield didn't bend, in spite of his super strength. "It's actually a shield made in Faerghus. It's… my shield, actually, but I use it quite often. I find it very reliable."

Dimitri cautiously handed her the large shield, peeking over it to observe the princess's expression. Much to his relief, she lifted the shield with ease. Still, she looked baffled. "… I, um, appreciate it." she muttered.

"Anything to ensure your safety." Dimitri firmly insisted, his voice shaking with worry, "I would be beside myself if you weren't sufficiently protected."

"I suppose, but I can get my own shields, Dimitri."

"Perhaps, but you can never have too many of them."

"A-alright…" Edelgard hesitantly relented, unsure of what to make of the gesture.

"Wonderful!" Dimitri exclaimed before frantically moving on. He snatched a dark cloth from the shield's handle and quickly presented it to her. "And since you are heading to the Red Canyon… well, I've been there before. Suffice it to say, there's a lot of dust in the air, actually. So, I brought a hood to ensure that no particles get in your face."

Stunned, Edelgard quietly accepted the hood from him. "Um… well… I suppose I didn't have that, but-"

"Wonderful!" his eyes darted to the marketplace, searching for something else he could provide her with, "Furthermore… well, I'm sure that there's something else I can-

"Dimitri, I-"

"Just a moment, Edelgard. I'm sure there's something else I can-"

"Dimitri!"

"But Edelgard, I-"

In an instant, Edelgard tightened her grip on the axe's handle and swung it furiously towards the ground, creating cracks on the stone pavement underneath.

A large boom reached the young prince's ears as he stumbled back. He dropped to his knees and defensively held up his arm, while dust particles flew onto his clothes and in his hair. When he looked beyond the arms he held up for defense, he could only look on in awe. Peeking above the silvery axe and framed by Edelgard's flying, white, bangs were her glimmering violet eyes, filled with a fierce determination. He was left speechless.

Watching his stunned expression made the princess giggle. "Oh? Were you surprised?" she lightheartedly teased, before proudly continuing, "As I was saying, I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself, without your help."

Dimitri looked down silently, but the princess continued to stare at him. She raised an eyebrow, before continuing, "What, do you really not think I can take care of myself? You really think that, don't you! Even now!"

Dimitri clasped his hands together. "Not at all. I sincerely apologize if you got the wrong idea."

Edelgard shook her head. "Really, Dimitri. Get up. To kneel before me is unbecoming of your position."

In an instant, the prince blushed and scrambled to his feet. "A-ah, sorry," he said with a bashful laugh, "I really have made a fool out of myself this time, haven't I… "

The two house leaders stood and stared at each other in an awkward silence.

Edelgard frowned. "Have you really underestimated me to the point that I am just a child to you? Or perhaps your judgment is clouded by Faerghus's gender norms. It is no secret that the majority of the students in the Blue Lions house are men, after all." she indignantly stated.

"Halt, Edelgard." Dimitri quickly cut in, "That's not it at all. It's just…"

His voice cracked as he desperately sought for the right words. As much as he wanted to tell her the truth, words failed to spill from his mouth.

Still, he couldn't help but be entranced by her eyes.

Her… very familiar eyes.

And it wasn't just her eyes either. There was the same curved nose, the same rounded face and even the hints of chestnut at the tips of her hair…

Why, if it wasn't for her white hair, then she would look exactly like-

"It's just what?" she impatiently asked him, snapping him out of his trance. She tapped her foot and folded her arms, waiting for her answer.

"I-it's nothing," Dimitri whispered with a stutter, "I just wish for you to be safe. The last time you were in combat was in the forest, when we first met Byleth. You were almost killed back then. If it weren't for Byleth jumping in at the last minute, then I fear that the worst would have happened to you. I just don't want that to happen again."

Edelgard sighed and shook her head. Her grip on her axe tightened. "That was… a serious oversight on my part. But even so, it seems strange to have you looking out for me. We barely know each other." she stated, "I understand the need to maintain a good relationship between our countries, but surely you realize how this looks."

"I… do. But I will stop fretting. You… you have my word." he hesitantly promised.

But Edelgard, noticing his pursed lips, was far from convinced. "But why are you even doing it in the first place, if it's not because you think I'm incapable?" she pressed on.

"I think you're very capable. Believe me, I do," he insisted.

Finally, he sighed and relented.

Perhaps it was time for him to share a little bit. Just a little bit. So, like a child cautiously dipping his toe in a cold pond before jumping in, Dimitri warily let the first few words spill from his mouth. "It's just that you look like someone I used to know. … Someone I cared for."

Intrigued, Edelgard blinked and stared at him curiously. She twirled her hair, intrigued. "Cared for? As in, romantically?"

"No, no, nothing like that." the prince insisted.

Even two seconds in, things were already going far from as planned. Still, he had already started this conversation, so he may as well finish it. After sighing, he reluctantly readied himself to continue speaking. "It's just that…"

Luckily, for him, he didn't have to continue, for Edelgard's professor, Manuela, had come rushing towards them. "Edelgard, it's time for us to head out." she stated, before noticing that Edelgard was with Dimitri. After noticing the stiff air between the two of them, she watched them cautiously. "Ah, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything important…"

"You were not. Let's go." Edelgard stated.

Dimitri looked down and sighed. Of course. Now was not the right time to talk about it. And it would probably never be the right time.

Before leaving, Edelgard turned around and showed him those familiar, violet eyes once again. "Dimitri… no matter your reasoning, there's no need to fret over me." she said with a small huff, "In fact, if you really do think I'm someone who needs to be fretted over, regardless of the reason, then your lack of insight is disappointing."

The prince opened his mouth, wanting nothing more than to tell her the truth. But his chest sank. "I apologize for any offense I may have caused, Lady Edelgard. I mean that,"

"Don't worry about it," Edelgard replied, "Professor, we must hurry. I'm sure everyone is waiting for us."

After looking between the departing Edelgard and the solemn Dimitri, Manuela offered the despondent prince a smile. She sighed. "I should be off too, now." she stated, before placing a hand on Dimitri's shoulder for a moment, "Don't worry, Dimitri. I'm sure she'll be completely fine."

The young prince forced a smile and a nod. "I appreciate that," he managed out, in spite of his uncertainty.

But after the professor left, Dimitri's smile quickly disappeared.

Don't worry…

Those were the exact same words his father used to reassure him right before the Tragedy of Duscur.

And look how that turned out.

"Prince Dimitri! Prince Dimitri!" he suddenly heard a man's voice call out behind him.

Dimitri's quickly turned around and noticed his professor standing before him, panting. "Professor Hanneman!" he said, surprised, "What is the matter?"

"It's Byleth," Hanneman said with a pant before fixing his monocle. He fidgeted with his mustache as he continued, "We can't find her anywhere."

Dimitri straightened up. "What?!"

* * *

Once he heard that Byleth had disappeared, Dimitri immediately set out to find her. He tried every place he could think of. However, no matter where he searched, he failed to find her.

Besides-for some reason-Lady Rhea had made it clear that Byleth was special.

"Excuse me. Forgive me for bothering you, but have you seen a woman with dark green hair?" he frantically asked one woman in the marketplace. Much to his dismay, the woman silently shook her head and, with a bow, went on her way.

The house leader reluctantly made his way to the marketplace, where he noticed a tan-skinned woman with platinum blonde hair. Her blue eyes glowed with strength, while her sturdy, silver armor wrapped around her muscular figure and her hand rested on the handle of her famed sword. She stood tall and proud, commanding fear and respect.

Of course, she almost never had to introduce herself. Everyone knew who she was.

She was Catherine, former knight of Faerghus, one of the most powerful Knights of Seiros, and Lady Rhea's bodyguard.

The prince scuttled towards her, frantically apologizing along the way. "Please, forgive me. You were supposed to take my class to meet Lonato's forces about an hour ago. It is entirely my fault that our class is not on time. I should have paid more attention to everyone."

Catherine sighed and tightened her lips. "Well, I would've left already, but we can't leave without Byleth. Lady Rhea would be furious had I done that."

Dimitri paused and looked up to her with surprise.

Lady Rhea?

Did that mean…

"She asked you to watch over her as well?" he asked with shock.

Catherine's mouth slightly dropped. She put her hands on her hips. "Don't tell me you were tasked with this. You?" she cried out in disbelief, "But you're a prince! You shouldn't be guarding her. If anything, she should be guarding you!"

Dimitri nervously laughed. "W-well, I'm not sure if I exactly need her watching over me… but I do find it strange myself."

The famed knight shook her head. "You know what? You have fifteen minutes. After that, we have to head out. It's not like the other soldiers are counting on our forces- we're just dealing with some of the leftover troops. But if we arrive there too late, then there won't be any leftover troops to find, understand?"

The prince quickly nodded. "Yes, yes of course. Perhaps Seteth will know…" he said before turning around.

Much to his surprise, he saw Seteth holding Sylvain up by the collar and shaking him, with Ingrid nearby trying to reason with him. The prince rushed over. "Please, Seteth! What is the matter here? Has Sylvain gotten himself into trouble?"

"Oh, he sure has!" the red-faced advisor yelled out, "He's the reason Byleth left. I'm sure of it. He broke her heart, and she has… run off! My one mistake was not expelling him the moment he set foot at this academy!"

"Oh my goddess, I didn't do anything!"

"Liar! But you won't be able to do anything anymore!" he roared, "Because you won't have another chance!"

"Seteth, please. I know that Sylvain can be a very… trying person." Ingrid said before pursing her lips and giving her friend the side eye, "But he wasn't even in a relationship with Byleth! And I would know, I'm around that man far too often."

"Yeah, see? Ingrid knows what's up," Sylvain started, before Ingrid gave a resigned sigh, "And that shows how much restraint I have, because your niece is gorg-"

A swift kick in the shin stopped Sylvain right in the middle of his sentence as he smiled through the stinging.

"Keep your trap shut when I'm defending you," she hissed, but Seteth was already livid.

"That's it!" he snapped, "If we do not find her soon, then you'll be in a heap of trouble."

"Seteth, please," Dimitri pleaded, "We will watch Sylvain more closely. We'll do our best to be a good infl-"

Suddenly, they heard a woman's voice coming from behind. "What are you doing?"

* * *

Byleth and Bennett wordlessly gazed out at the fishing pond.

"Let's head back. Seteth has been worried about you, you know." Bennett stated, after a few more seconds had passed.

Byleth's mouth slightly dropped as she focused on the cerulean waves beneath her, lost in thought. Seteth… their uncle.

Or at least, he was trying to be. Over the past few weeks, Seteth had attempted to bond with her, either by checking in with her as she was training or asking her about her studies. But as much as she wanted to be accepted by him and to be able to embrace him as family, Byleth hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to call him anything other than, "Sir," and she was far from comfortable in his presence.

It was just too strange, after all, to meet family that you had never known for the past 18 years.

There were so many unknowns about him, so many questions left unanswered. What was her mother like? Did he know how and when she died? What was his relationship with Jeralt like? How did he even come to be the Church's main advisor?

And most importantly…

If he truly cared about her and her brother, why had he never involved himself in their lives before?

As she looked toward Bennet she searched his face for a hint as to what he was feeling. She wondered if he had the same thoughts, the same questions as her. She was sure he did- after all, he had never hesitated to question their father growing up. But at that moment, his face was rather expressionless, just like her own. Then, his face disappeared from view as he turned around. "Let's go. You can't be late anymore." he told her sternly.

Byleth's eyes lit up. "Oh. Right. Of course." she stated as she followed his trail, her light skips contrasting with his confident stride.

When she arrived at the entrance, Byleth stopped in her tracks.

In front of her stood Seteth, who was holding up Sylvain and yelling at him. Byleth was shocked. She had to defend him! Immediately, she called out to them and rushed past her brother. "What are you doing?" she asked Seteth, "Let him go, Sir. Please. You have to."

Much to her relief, Seteth immediately dropped Sylvain. "Byleth! Where were you?! You had me worried sick."

Byleth bit her lip and looked off to the side, clueless as to what she could say. "I was just… well… just by the fishing pond."

"The fishing pond?" Seteth asked in disbelief, "But you knew you had a mission to go to today, did you not?"

"Oh, I… um," she mumbled, brushing her foot on the ground as she tried thinking of an excuse. After all, what would be more embarrassing than, "I didn't want to go to battle," when that was what she had done her entire life?

 _Think, Byleth, think… I need an excuse… Sothis, help me!_ She called out to the little girl inside of her head.

" _Excuse me?! My job is to save your actual life, NOT your social life!"_

_This isn't- oh, what am I supposed to say? What could possibly be a logical explanation?_

"I forgot."

" _What kind of excuse was that?!"_

Bennett slapped his palm against his forehead, while Dimitri, Sylvain, Ingrid, and Seteth all gave her blank stares.

Suddenly, the young mercenary's brother threw up his hands. "I'm out of here."

"But-" Byleth pleaded while reaching for his shoulder, but her brother didn't listen. Instead, he swiveled around and stormed off, and Byleth's hand sank to her side.

Seteth on the other hand, continued to question her. "You… didn't notice the many students heading towards the marketplace with their weapons?"

"Yeah… I didn't notice them." she slowly remarked, "Silly me."

Seteth sighed and shook his head. "Your father didn't teach you a thing about responsibility, did he..." he grumbled.

Byleth wrinkled her nose. "What do you mean by that?" she asked somewhat defensively.

"Ah, there is no need to discuss that now. Regardless of how you were brought up, it's my duty to set you on the right path now," he said, before eyeing the redheaded philanderer, "And part of that… is reconsidering your friendship with Sylvain. You know that he is a bad influence on you."

"You don't know that."

"But do you know the opposite to be true?"

Byleth hesitantly looked back at Sylvain, who simply smiled and shrugged. She bit her lip and turned back around. "Even if I don't, I think that that's something I have to see for myself, not by you telling me,"

"Byleth, please. Have some sense!"

Sad as she was that she wouldn't have his approval, what business did he have, telling her who her friends could be? It's not like she could be picky. "I… am sorry, but I can't do as you say," she hesitantly began.

"But Byleth, I'm sure even your father would agree that-"

"Then _he_ should tell me that," she said, "Not you." She bit her lip and looked at him dead in the eye. She had to let him know she was serious.

Much to her surprise, Seteth relented. "If that is what you want, then that'll be that… for now, anyway. I will be telling Jeralt, though."

"That's fine. You can tell him." she stated.

As she watched Seteth leave, Sylvain rushed towards her with a stupefied grin on her face. "Hey hey hey, thanks for standing up for me! You're my personal angel, aren't ya!"

"HEY!" Ingrid yelled before sending a swift kick to his shin.

But Byleth wasn't paying any attention to them. Instead, she continued to watch her green-haired uncle disappear behind the priests and churchgoers that were marching through the entrance. Her lips quivered as she bowed in shame. "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry?" Sylvain asked her, bewildered, "For what? Ingrid was the one who kicked me, not you."

Still, Byleth failed to answer. She kept her head down, looking only at her hands.

Then, in her view came a waving arm that was covered with dark silver armor. Byleth quickly jerked her head up again, surprised to see Dimitri standing there, offering her a sympathetic smile.

She looked away. "We should go. I already made us all late."

* * *

**As always, special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter.**

**And of course, thank YOU for reading! Until next time!**


	20. Day And Night

As the day continued, Bennett made a point to avoid speaking with Claude.

Now that he knew about his familiarity with the sword, Bennett was certain that Claude would come after him and try to persuade him to take up the weapon again.

But he wouldn't do it.

Not if it meant becoming more like her.

So, with his lunch plate on one hand and a book in the other, he made his way to a place where he hoped to be both productive and not run into Claude: the library.

Sneaking around had never really been Bennett's style, but this time was different - he couldn't be noticed.. He hesitantly peeked into the library, before standing up and tiptoeing inside. The shelves were filled with dusty books, which were only visible thanks to the nearby golden wall candles.

Much to his relief, on each of the wooden tables he passed was nothing but a tall candle. And the only person who was there besides him was the aging librarian, who hobbled around with his cane and a friendly smile.

Suddenly, he noticed a book laid out on one of the tables. He stopped, cautiously glanced around, frantically searching for its owner… and praying that it wasn't Claude.

" _Ahem._ That's my stuff."

Bennett spun around. He froze in his place and looked down to find Lysithea, standing tall- or, well, as tall as she could, anyway- and staring up at him. Even with her high heels, the top of her head only rising to his shoulder.

He let out a sigh of relief. "Oh good, it's just you."

"Expecting someone else?" she asked before marching off to her seat, "I know I surely wasn't expecting to see _you_ here,"

"Why not? I enjoy studying,"

"Uh huh." she agreed, her tone filled with skepticism, "So, is there a specific reason you're interrupting my studies, or are you just here to annoy-" Suddenly, her gaze stopped at the plate Bennett was holding.

Bennett looked down at the plate. There was nothing particularly special about it. There was a piece of chicken, some rice, a piece of cake-

The _cake_.

Bennett remembered Lysithea's words when she first agreed to guide his magical training. He had to do everything she said, he had to get along with the Golden Deer and…

He had to bring "the you-know-what's."

Apparently she was too embarrassed to say "sweets" out loud… since, somehow, she had gotten the idea that liking cake was childish.

Regardless, with this dessert, he knew-or at least, hoped-that this one cake that he happened to pick up would help him have a rather productive day.

Watching her gape and get close to drooling without saying a word about it was amusing. Still, he didn't want to be a tease- he chose to get right to the point. "I was going to take the time to learn magic today. And I brought an offering." he said with a smile, nudging his plate towards her, "What do you say?"

Just as he said those words, though, Bennett himself noticed just how glorious the cake really was, its caramel sauce glistening in the candlelight as it dripped over the soft, vanilla filling. "Um, we can split it in half." he quickly added.

"I accept," Lysithea said with her chin up high as she tried to appear more mature and sophisticated, "But I have to have the whole piece. … Just half of that is not nearly enough to compensate me for spending half an hour helping someone as immature as yourself..."

His nose wrinkled. He folded his arms. "Really! Immature, am I?"

"Oh yes!" Lysithea stated confidently, "But the cake will help me get by. If you give me the whole thing."

Bennett sighed and shook his head as he begrudgingly pushed the plate towards her, "And this was the last one they had… Fine. Here it is." he grumbled.

Lysithea warily searched the library to make sure they were alone. When she was sure that no one else was watching her, her cheeks turned a bright pink. "Much obliged!" she told him with the widest smile he had ever seen. Then, she immediately turned her attention to the cake and devoured it.

When she was finished, she sat up straight and pressed her fingers against the crumbs on her face. "Er…you don't happen to have a napkin, do you? I don't want to go out looking this… un-ladylike."

* * *

"No, I will NOT show it to you!" Lysithea yelled, "How can you be asking me to teach you tornadoes when you can't even make a proper gust of wind?!"

Bennett threw his hands down, letting the wind magic he was holding disperse at his feet. It was afternoon by that point, and they were practicing near the fishing pond, casting their spells out into the open body of water. But as calm as the waves were, he was very much… well, not. His fingers dug into his hair. "I don't know what you mean by 'proper gust'. I am making gusts of wind. You see it!"

Lysithea huffed and folded her arms. "Fine. Think you can create wind? Then try making those two barrels across the pond fly into the air. … Well?!"

Bennett squinted, searching for the barrels she spoke of. There they were, standing in front of Garreg Mach's stone walls. The fishing pond suddenly seemed to be much longer, an infinite space that his spell would never get across.

He gulped. Still, he had to impress her. So,he fumbled into a sudden and awkward squat and held his hands out, much to Lysithea's visible confusion.

Then, he closed his eyes and moved his arms around. In time, clouds of yellow surrounded his hands. As soon as he saw them, he felt a rush of excitement as he pushed himself to cast a gust of wind. With one more look at a suddenly dismayed Lysithea, he held his arm back, hopeful that her face was a sign of jealousy that he had gotten it so quickly.

It probably wasn't, though.

He held his arm back, ready to strike. Then, he flicked his arm out, sending out the wind spell. As the glowing, green gusts of magical wind left his hand, his uniform's cape flowed behind him. The spell floated over the sea for a few feet… and then disappeared.

He sighed.

"Why were you looking at me?! There's nothing I'm doing, you know!" she barked, "You're supposed to be looking over there! You have to be focused."

"I _am_ focused. I don't understand what you're talking abou!," he yelled, defensive and confused.

Much to his chagrin, though, the girl beside him simply shook her head and cupped her yawn with her small hand. She indignantly marched in front and readied herself to strike. She spun around and thrust her arms out, sending off the spell.

Bennett only felt a small breeze brush his side, but the glowing spell itself rapidly travelled across the pond without showing any signs of disappearing. When it reached the other side, the barrels flew back and crashed against the stone pavement. Lysithea spun around to face him and blew a few strands of hair out of her eyes. " _That's_ how it's done."

Bennett's jaw dropped as he continued to stare at the broken barrel. "B-b-but how?!" he stuttered.

"'When you wield a weapon, you must rely on your physical strength. But when you wield magic, you must rely on your mind,'" she recited, "You remember that, right?"

Bennett rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, I get it now."

"No, you don't!" she insisted, "You don't get it, do you? The strength of your magic spells depends on three factors. Do you even know what those three are?"

Bennett indifferently shrugged. "No."

"We have a long way to go…" she grumbled, before straightening up and lecturing again, "The three factors are as follows: your natural prowess, your focus, and your mindset. There's… not much we can do about the first one, so we'll just talk about the last two."

Bennett pouted. He surely didn't have his bloodline going for him. True, he was an Eisner, but the talent of magic was certainly not passed down to Jeralt.

He could only hope that his mother had the gift. But of course, he had no idea what she was best at.

Perhaps Seteth would know…

Lysithea continued. "The magic spells you can create are based on the mindset you have. You are always so focused on what other people think of you, so it's no wonder that you can't get your wind magic to stay in one place, for too long. It just won't work. If you want to create something concentrated enough to actually do damage, then you have to pay attention. It's time to forget about everything else that isn't your magic. Forget that I'm here. Forget that anything is here but you, and those… destroyed barrels, I suppose."

At first, Bennett felt rather defensive about that claim. He wanted-no, needed to know that he had people's approval. After all, that meant he was doing better, that he was getting somewhere.

He needed people like Lysithea to know just how great he could be.

But as he watched the barrel's broken containers sprawled out on the pavement, he couldn't help but think that Lysithea had already beaten him… again.

She beat him, just as she had done before, and if they duelled again right now, she would beat him again. He knew that much.

Maybe he really did have to forget about her. He was already behind her, anyway- what was there to prove to her, no matter how much he got his hopes up.

Bennett took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Forget her. Remember the barrel. Forget her. Remember the barrel. The other side of the fishing pond. He had to aim right there. Then, he spun and threw out a small disk of wind, he barely felt a breeze at all. Still, he watched his magic travel a little faster. And, much to his surprise, it already dissipated so close to the other side of the pond.

"Better," Lysithea remarked, startling him, "Focusing is important no matter what spell you perform. But now, you need to hone your wind magic specifically."

"And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Every kind of magic has to do with bringing out and honing a part of yourself." she stated, "Wind magic it's fast and, ideally, doesn't stop until it reaches its target. So, to create these powerful gusts, you have to be just like the wind you create. You have to think about what you're _determined_ to do and channel those thoughts into this spell. **T** hat's the only way they will be powerful."

Bennett's eyes lit up. "So… how does that translate into a tornado-?"

"Basics first."

"R-right."

Determined. Well, that would be easy enough. He was determined to accomplish many things, after all. He wanted to be a famous noble, who perhaps wins the heart of Edelgard… or maybe some other high-ranking noblewoman, who was more interested in him than Byleth…

He then heard fingers snap near his ear. "AHEM! Ready to try?!" Lysithea yelled.

Bennett opened his eyes and firmly nodded. Indeed, there was a lot he had to be determined about. So, after taking a deep breath and focusing his thoughts, he tried again.

He spun around, planted his foot in the ground and cast his spell. He watched the green wave of magic travel across the pond, biting his lip as he fearfully waited to see what would happen when his spell met the barrels' remains.

Much to his relief, the remains were pushed and flew against the stone wall. Bennett clapped his hands and strode around confidently. "I really did it!"

"You did," Lysithea curtly replied. "Now, practice more. A lot."

"You're not impressed with me, are you?"

"Not really."

Bennett's shoulders sank. As much as he wanted to impress her, he knew it would take much more than this. He had a lot to learn, and he had to accept that. "You know what?" he said, after a sigh, "That's fine. This is fine… for now, anyway."

"It _is_ fine." Lysithea replied, as she watched the sun setting. Her shoulders stiffened up at the sight. "Well, it's getting late, so… I'll be off! Good luck with training and all!"

Before Bennett could even respond, she scuffled back, stumbling over herself in her high heels. Still, after she caught herself, she took a deep breath, straightened up, brushed her uniform skirt, and marched away, as if trying to prove that she was actually a dignified adult.

It was rather amusing for him to watch, honestly.

* * *

By nighttime, the Blue Lions had set up a large campfire, with plans to encounter Lord Lonato's forces the next morning.

Byleth was restless that night, much to her own annoyance. She rolled to one side. She rolled to her other side. She buried her face in her pillow and pressed it in her arms. She cupped her hands over her eyes. But no matter what she did, she still ended up blankly staring at her tent's roof.

She couldn't help but feel slightly envious of Sothis. Even though she was part of Byleth's mind, the little girl had no trouble slumbering whenever she pleased. It was almost as if the girl had a life of her own…

As Byleth struggled to fall asleep, she tried to recall what her father would tell her when she couldn't sleep. What was it again?

Ah yes. Focus on your breathing. Nothing but breathing.

So, Byleth took one breath. Then, another breath. And another, and another…

Her shoulders relaxed, and her hands sank down from her chest to her sides…

…

Didn't work.

Byleth furiously kicked her feet out in front of her and pulled herself up.

Fine then. If there was no way she could sleep, then she would have to make herself useful by being on guard duty.

After tugging her boots on, she marched outside. Most of the tents lined up along the camp were silent. So, she cautiously tiptoed her way towards the border of the camp. She pressed her quietly into the soft grass, intrigued by the tents that still had the faintest of whispers in them.

_Snap._

Byleth looked down.

It was just a tree branch.

But still, after hearing someone shuffling inside one of the nearby tents, she dashed across the field, praying that they would not peek outside and find that she was standing right there.

Byleth continued sprinting down the path. There, she slowed to a stop. It was not just because she had just reached the edge of the camp, where there were two torches lit up on both sides of the path, but because she saw someone standing there.

They looked rather familiar. The torches' lights reflected on his blonde, noodle-like hair, which easily popped out of the darkness. He was briskly pacing back and forth, with his usual set of armor covering his arms and legs. Firm in his grip was a silver lance, long but sturdy.

When the prince stopped to look at her, Byleth could see the smaller details. Beneath his normal, calming, sky blue eyes were a startling pair of pale gray bags. And, just like before, he was shaking.

Even his friendly smile couldn't ease Byleth's concerns. He wasn't well, and she knew it.

Still, when he saw her, his eyes lit up, and his shaking slowed. "Ah, Byleth!" he asked in his normal, semi-cheerful tone, although visibly surprised at her sudden appearance, "It's quite late. What are you doing awake at this hour?"

Byleth tilted her head whilst stepping towards him with uncertainty. "I… was just about to ask you the same question. I couldn't sleep."

"Well, isn't that a coincidence!" Dimitri exclaimed with a nervous laugh to follow. He scratched the back of his head, "N-neither can I."

Byleth stared at him intently, waiting for more details.

Seeing her expectant look, Dimitri sighed resignedly. "I am just fine, Byleth," he spoke softly with a small shudder, "It was… just a nightmare,"

"About?"

But the prince hesitantly shrunk and looked away. "I… would prefer not to talk about it."

His words made Byleth shrink below her knees. Of course he wouldn't want to tell her. Why would he want to tell her, of all people?

"Of course. I understand." Byleth held her elbow and stared down at her shoes, unsure if there was anything she could do. She waited for a few seconds. Then, her heart sinking, she began to turn away-

"Still… I would be grateful for your company right now."

* * *

Byleth and Dimitri sat next to each other in silence, with nothing but the sounds of crickets and the crackle of the campfire in front of them.

"Were you on guard duty?" Byleth asked him, still keeping her violet blue eyes locked on the bright orange flames.

"No. … Were you?"

Byleth shook her head, still looking uncertainly at the set of torches near the front. "I do hope there are guards watching the perimeter…"

"There are," he reassured her, "I saw them circling around. I do wonder when they're going to get sleep, though…"

"They're probably taking turns."

"Probably…"

The crickets chirped between them again, leaving both of them with little else to do besides look at the fire, the stars… and each other.

"So… how has your time at the Blue Lions been?" Dimitri asked her, his grin wide and eyes shining with curiosity.

Byleth nodded. "It's been good. People are nice here," she stated, before shyly adding, "And, you've been nice to me, so… thanks."

"O-oh, there's no need for that. I'm the House Leader after all! But to be completely honest, I've been doing a terrible job thus far—I haven't been able to speak to people nearly as much as I had hoped to... I should be meeting with Professor Hanneman to plan more events… Why, to be honest, I'm not good for much besides breaking things, because of my carelessness," he sheepishly replied, to which Byleth suddenly frowned.

"But the Blue Lions house is filled with some of the most hardworking, wonderful people I know!" he added, his lips curving into a much wider and happier smile, "Sure, the members have their setbacks, but their strengths are incredible. So, if you have any questions or want to know about someone specific, do let me know!"

Byleth was intrigued by the obvious change in his mood… but she thought it was best not to say anything about it. What could she say, anyway? "Prince Dimitri, why are you so much happier talking about others than yourself?" That in itself could be a loaded question… and might make the prince uncomfortable.

After all, she didn't like talking about herself either, so it wasn't as if she had a right to judge.

Byleth looked off to the side thoughtfully though, thinking about the Blue Lions. In an instant, her mind drifted to an image of her brother, huddled in his small room whilst haphazardly trying spells near the window.

Perhaps he could make more friends who were interested in the same things he was… even if they were in a different house.

"Is there anyone that really enjoys learning magic?" she asked, before hesitantly whispering, "Preferably someone who's not someone falsely confident… maybe."

Dimitri blinked twice. "Ah, yes, there's Annette!"

Annette...

Byleth nodded. Of course, they sat close to each other in class every day. Even just thinking of her then, she could vividly remember her bright orange hair, her large eyes, and her infectious smile.

"I used to hear stories about Annette as a child, actually. Her father used to be a knight for the royal family, and he enjoyed speaking about her. And I see his stories of her were true!" he explained, "She's just as cheerful and hardworking as I imagined, and she always attends to her studies with great diligence and determination."

"Is she good at magic, by any chance?"

"Oh, yes! Before coming here, she was the valedictorian from the Royal School of Sorcery, Faerghus's top magic academy… which is, mind you, not an easy feat whatsoever. But you can count on her! She's brilliant, really. Why do you ask?"

"Asking for my brother." she replied with a smile, "Maybe I'll introduce them sometime. … I want him to have many friends."

"That's very thoughtful of you," the prince said with a warm smile, "I trust that you want the same?"

Byleth blushed as she stared at the ground thoughtfully. "Y-yes, I do. Although for me, that may be less possible… I just prefer to think about him, instead…"

"Nonsense," he soundly stated, "You are just as deserving of affection and attention as he is. I do hope that you will keep that in mind!"

For a moment, Byleth let out a small smile, as she began dragging her finger through the soil, creating a curve.

She was intrigued, though. For as long as she had known him, he had always gushed over his classmates, perpetually having nice things to say about them.

But he couldn't say nice things about everyone, right?

After all, what could he say about the people who were mean to him?

Byleth looked down at the soil as her finger changed directions, creating a small corner. "So… what do you think of Felix?"

The prince gazed off into the night sky, reminiscing. "Felix and I have known each other for as long as we can remember. And, for a very long time, we were inseparable." he added with a small laugh, "But Felix is a different person now. Now, he's rather curt, and… unsociable."

Byleth raised her eyebrows. "So he's changed. He's changed to a colder person you can't recognize," she stated.

Was that his final answer?

"That is correct," The prince said with a nod… before confidently adding, "Still, make no mistake. Whenever you are in dire need of him, he will never turn a blind eye to you. No matter how much he may seem to change, that much is something I definitely know about him. " he stated with a small smile.

"I see."

So that was his final answer.

"Is there anyone else you wish to ask about? I have plenty of stories with some of them," he said with a smile, "Perhaps I can regale the times when I've seen Ingrid at her best. She has the true makings of a knight, you know. She's diligent, and principled… ah, or there's Mercedes! Annette's close friend. She seems rather carefree, but she actually pays careful attention to everyone around her. Or, perhaps I can tell you when Dedue-"

"What about you?" Byleth suddenly asked him, her eyes focused on him and brimming with curiosity.

"M-me?" Dimitri replied, evidently startled, "Ah, yes… me… Um. It's… a little difficult to open up on the spot, don't you think?" he asked hesitantly with a nervous laugh. He then solemnly gazed into the fire, his smile quickly fading away, "I'm afraid my story isn't a pleasant one. I do hope that doesn't color your view of me, but I understand if it can't be helped."

Byleth tilted her head. "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well… every time you talk about someone, you always have something nice to say about them. Even Felix, who I've only ever seen be mean to you…" she told him, "But when it comes to yourself, you have nothing nice to say."

Dimitri faintly smiled, "Oh, it's quite alright. Compared to the other Blue Lions, I'm hardly anyone special."

Byleth lifted her finger off from the soil. "I disagree. You're kind to everyone you meet. You're attentive to the people you care about, clearly, and you're strong… I think there's a lot to say about you, actually," she stated, before shyly adding, "It's… better than what I have, anyway."

"Better than you have?" The prince asked her in disbelief, "Do not sell yourself short, Byleth. You are strong as well, and you're very caring. You've stayed here to keep me company, although I apologize—I'm sure I'm far from the most entertaining person you'll ever meet."

Byleth blinked twice. "I think you are wonderful company, actually. Better than I am. But not because you're funny… no, it's something else, it's hard to explain…" she said, before looking down and scribbling all over the pattern she made in the dirt. Then, she sighed, her eyes darting all over the place as she searched for the right words, "It's… just easy to be around you somehow. I can't explain it,"

"Oh, there's no need to exaggerate, Byleth," he said with a weakened smile, "But still, I appreciate the kind words."

Suddenly, he gave a small yawn.

Byleth yawned as well, stretching her arms as she spoke, "Sounds like you need to go back to sleep. … I hope you will be able to."

The prince softly smiled at her. "I guess I am a little tired. Thanks for staying up with me."

"Anytime," she mumbled before sleepily trudging back to her tent.

Then, she stopped. "And, Dimitri?"

"Hm? What is it?"

"I really did mean it, though. I enjoy talking to you."

"Oh, I enjoyed talking with you too!" he said, before looking away, "In fact, I would love to do this again sometime, if that is acceptable to you,"

Byleth's eyes lit up. "Oh, it's acceptable. Very acceptable!" she insisted, her heart filling with happiness. She took his hand and shook on it, much to the prince's surprise.

Suddenly, though, she noticed his small smile as he hesitantly pulled his hand away.

 _No no no, you've said too much!_ she scolded herself, _Now, fix it. Say something fantastic that he's going to never forget!_

"You have nice hands." She mumbled, gesturing to his armor-covered hands, "Very, um… metal-ly. METALLIC! That's what I meant."

Byleth looked away in shame.

Dead. She was so dead from embarrassment.

"O-oh, why thank you," the prince said, still graciously nodding, "I have gloves on, but I think you also probably have nice hands. Firm ones, I think!"

Suddenly, Dimitri shook his head and avoided her gaze for a moment, "I'm sorry, that was terrible…"

Byleth, blank faced as she was, was actually laughing and gleeful at heart. Gleeful that someone so patiently listened and could be just as strange, just for a moment…

"That was perfect, actually." She said, before softly whispering, "Good night."

When he nodded, she finally stood up and headed back to camp.

Except now… she couldn't help but feel the desire to put a skip in her step.

It felt nice to skip.

* * *

Dimitri hesitantly lifted himself up. He didn't want to go back to sleep, honestly, but after Byleth had so thoughtfully come to him in his time of need, he couldn't just stay awake all this time.

So, he'd try to go back to sleep.

… And maybe face the demons that had been haunting his nights.

Still, for her sake, he had to try. He would try his best.

So, the young prince lifted himself off the ground.

Just before he left, though, he noticed what Byleth had been drawing: a set of squiggles and triangles.

Nothing too special, but nice to look at nonetheless.

* * *

**Hello! Hope you enjoyed this chapter.**

**As always, special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter.**

**And thank YOU for reading!**


	21. Son

_6 YEARS AGO…_

_For the knights of House Gaspard, it was just an average night. There was nothing much to see, besides the light of their own lanterns and the pitch black sky. Still, they had a duty to their lord to march around the perimeter, so march they did._

_But contrary to belief, that night was not actually average at all… for right beneath their noses, a small orphan boy was quietly sneaking around in the shadows, his small, scraped feet grazing across the rocky pavement._

_Young as he was, he was nevertheless very adept at avoiding the guards. He watched the men carefully, darting around as needed. When he arrived at a locked door that would lead him inside, he had a small piece of metal wire ready to pick the lock._

_Within seconds, he was in. He heaved a sigh of relief. But he knew that his job wasn't done yet. He was just getting started..._

* * *

"Ashe. … Ashe!"

Ashe snapped up and frantically kicked up his small blanket onto someone's face. "What? What's going on?" he frantically yelled, panting. When he realized that the person in front was covered with a blanket, though, his panicked expression transformed into a sheepish one as he slowly pulled off the blanket. "... Oh, sorry…"

When he pulled the blanket off, he found it was Byleth, staring soullessly as ever into his eyes. "It's all right." she stiffly replied.

"Ah, Byleth! It's you! G-g-good morning." Ashe nervously responded to her stiff expression. He glanced off to the side, his mouth curving into a goofy but nervous smile. "So, uh… what's… er… going… on?" he hesitantly asked.

It had been a month since Ashe and Byleth had known each other. He had tried his best to be as welcoming and kind to her as he possibly could, but he still wasn't sure how much she liked him in return. After all, she never approached him, nor did she ever smile…

Still, he hoped that she would like him more as time went on.

"It's morning. We have to go." she stated before letting out a large yawn.

"Oh, right. Thank you for reminding me!" he perkily responded nonetheless, before adding, "I… hope that you slept well?"

"Oh, I slept alright." she sleepily replied, "Just a little less than usual."

Ashe frowned and gathered his bow and arrows. "O-oh, yeah… me too, actually."

Byleth raised her eyebrows. "Does it have to do with Lord Lonato?"

"It does."

Silence filled the tent.

Byleth stared down at the ground beneath them. "That must be really hard. I can't imagine having to face my own father."

Ashe's shoulders slumped. "Yeah… but, if we did nothing enough as they pressed on, then he would be a danger to himself and countless others."

"Yes."

"Anyway, I don't mean to bore you with my troubles! Catherine is probably waiting for us," he sheepishly added.

Much to his surprise, the mercenary's eyes briefly lit up. "Oh. No. I wasn't bored. Thank you for sharing. … Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression."

"Oh, no, you didn't! I just wasn't sure." Ashe quickly added with an awkward smile.

Suddenly his tent's curtains opened. It was the prince, peeking inside. "Forgive me for the intrusion."

"You weren't intruding. I was just waking Ashe up for today's mission." she nonchalantly responded.

Dimitri's brows furrowed. He looked off to the side, evidently concerned but unsure of what to say. "I… see. Ashe, just know that we will do what we can today to stop him. But if Lonato doesn't cooperate, then we-"

Ashe looked down, his lips quivering. "I know, Your Highness… I know."

"Right. … Then, I'll see the two of you later?" he asked.

"You will very shortly. I've already packed up, and I can help Ashe with his things." Byleth replied.

"Perfect. Carry on, then." the prince said with a firm nod. He then left the two of them, alone and back in silence.

"There's no need to worry. Let's jump that hurdle when we get to it," she said in an attempt to soothe him, after the prince had left.

"Okay." Ashe said with a sigh. Still, he was determined not to waste anyone's time. He quickly slid out of his blanket and folded it in a moment.

"Do you… want me to help with taking down your tent?" Byleth hesitantly asked, "I've had a lot of experience with that stuff, so you might find it helpful."

"O-oh, sure! You can. But only if you don't have anything else to do." Ashe replied, before adding a quick, "Th-thanks! For the tent, and also for being here." with a quick smile.

Byleth looked down. "No problem." she mumbled before silently leaving.

His smile faded.

She seemed nice…

But it was hard to tell with her.

* * *

"Tell me, Byleth. Are you pregnant?" Professor Hanneman asked her as he strode forward on the path to battle.

Byleth, who was right beside him, wrinkled her nose. "Um. N-no. I don't think it'd be good for the child if I was even here… you know, marching to battle…" she awkwardly answered. She frantically glanced around. She looked in front of her, at Catherine, who just seemed to be ignoring them. She looked to her left at Ashe, who seemed understandably preoccupied in his own thoughts. More than that, though, she searched for Dimitri's face behind her, hoping that he hadn't heard.

She jerked her head towards her professor while he continued to frantically jot down notes down on a small piece of paper. "P-Professor, why was that important to ask…?"

"Well, Miss Eisner, this is for my research! In order to better understand how your Crest has an effect on your body. And because of that, I must know everything there is to know beforehand, including the nitty gritty." he said, before happily adding in a small whisper, "It is my job to observe all of my students and assess their combat skills. But to think that I'd have the opportunity to see THE Crest Of-"

Byleth tightened the sides of her mouth and offered a forced, monotone laugh. "Ha. Ha. Ha. The Crest Of Macuil … Yes. That's exactly what I have." she swiftly exclaimed, before shrinking down, "Just like any other… normal… um. Mage."

Professor Hanneman frowned. "You do realize that you're acting stranger than I am, yes?" he whispered.

"Did I mention any special Crest? No. And you can't either." she hissed back, "If I do, then I could put myself and my family in danger."

"I understand, Miss Eisner. Your secret is safe with me." he said.

" _Byleth…_ " Sothis started.

 _One second, Sothis._ Byleth thought before continuing, "Um… could you not ask any more questions…?"

"Absolutely not!" Professor Hanneman replied with shock, "It is proper research practice to ask preliminary questions before the experiment! Now, are you a drinker? I know your father is, so-"

" _Byleth… I have to talk to you before this battle!_ " Sothis frantically hissed.

 _He just won't let up…_ Byleth continued to think. "No, I'm not. Now, please stop."

"But my research-"

" _BYLETH! PAY ATTENTION!_ " the little girl screeched, startling Byleth. She jumped and stumbled into Ashe.

"Oh! Byleth, what happened?" Ashe asked her, "Is everything all right?"

This time, people had stopped and stared. Byleth's face turned beet red as she pulled herself away from the boy.

" _Finally! It seems I have your attention."_

Byleth shook her head. _Okay. You have my attention._

" _I wish to offer you my time travelling powers._ " the little girl declared, " _I trust that you will do everything you can to save any of your fallen classmates, if you are able to._ "

The young woman paused in disbelief. _But that's such a big responsibility…_

" _A responsibility that I expect you to live up to._ "

 _Such a noble task… You know what my past is, don't you? I'm the Ashen Demon. How can you trust me with this?_ Byleth asked the little girl.

" _You are terribly insecure. Getting so worked up over that one title..._ " Sothis said with a sigh, " _You may see yourself as nothing but a monster, but you fight to protect others and have a good heart. You are not a demon, Byleth. With your body and my powers, we can save everyone. Make sure you understand that._ "

_Fine…. I understand. I… hope I don't let anyone down._

" _You shall not. You have me to guide you, after all. How could you possibly fail then?_ " she smugly responded.

Byleth bit her lip and nodded.

Ashe, who was watching, raised his eyebrows. "Er, Byleth? Are you alright? You jumped a while ago, stared into space, and now you're just nodding."

The young mercenary's eyes widened. "O-oh, I'm fine. Nothing to worry about at all," she quickly responded, before adding, "H-how are you doing? Are you feeling better?"

Ashe's eyes drooped. "I still don't understand. Why would Lonato even start this rebellion?"

Byleth looked off to the side. "Well.. if there's anyone who would know the truth, it's you."

"But I _don't_!" he insisted, "Lord Lonato has always been a pious man, I-I don't get where this is coming from…" he said, at a loss for words. But suddenly, a flicker of realization appeared in his eyes.

"What is it?" Byleth quickly asked him.

"Well… you see, in addition to me and my siblings, Lord Lonato also had a son by blood… my foster brother. His name was Christophe." he hesitantly continued, "He… well, a few years ago, he was executed by the Church for being a conspirator in the Tragedy of Duscur. Maybe it has something to do with that."

The Tragedy of Duscur. He didn't need to explain any more than that.

Having travelled all over Fodlan, Byleth was already aware of the impact the Tragedy of Duscur had. The king, his wife, and all of the royal guards had been brutally murdered, with its sole survivor being a prince who was far too young to rule.

Faerghus had been left in chaos, and its current regent had done little to help rebuild the country ever since.

"Lord Lonato has been grieving Christophe's death ever since. I knew how greatly it impacted him, but I didn't think he'd rally troops and take it this-" Suddenly, he stopped speaking, "Hey, what's that coming off of the sides of the path? Are those clouds?"

When Byleth looked back, there were indeed clouds that steadily rose from the shadows. The fog was clearly coming from somewhere- a mage could have created it.

" _You've had battle experience before, yes? Has your father told you anything about warding away fog?_ " Sothis asked her.

Byleth nodded. Then, reluctantly, she shyly tapped on the captain's shoulder. "Er… Captain Catherine, Miss… um, do we have any torches? It would help if we had as many as we can… if that's possible."

Catherine unsheathed her spiked sword, which, to Byleth's surprise, began glowing a bright red. "Good idea. If you two can get the torches set up, then we can have the students continue to assist the knights as they guard the perimeter…"

"And we can use the torches to see more clearly in the fog and expand the perimeter slowly." Byleth finished, "Ashe, let's go get the torches."

Suddenly, they heard a scream. As Catherine and Byleth spun around, Ashe jumped up, shivering as he tightly gripped his bow.

The fog was rising, but from what they could see, a soldier had leapt from the fog, now clashing with a knight as the students nearby watched with fear.

"All of you, stay close to the knights and help them! We'll be fine if everyone does their part!" Catherine yelled, her face becoming less visible. "You two better go make those torches. Then meet me back here."

"But I-" Ashe quickly spoke, before Byleth dragged him away.

"There's no time to think now. Let's just stay close together, okay?" Byleth told him.

Ashe shakily nodded, her face now barely visible to him.

Byleth looked down and grabbed his hand. "It's going to be okay," she reassured him, "Stay calm."

" _Repeat after me._ " Sothis urged Byleth, " _Much like I appear to be now._ "

"... Much like I appear to be now." Byleth mindlessly repeated, much to her confusion.

That is, until she realized what Sothis was trying to do.

Sothis had reframed her appearance.

Her face was emotionless… but she was also calm, which could help more in a situation like this.

"Yes," she said again, "Let's stay focused. We have work to do."

Ashe looked rather surprised at her, his mouth being left slightly opened as he stared for a moment. It made Byleth nervous- what was he thinking?

Then, he nodded. "Yes," he said, "We both have to be calm right now. … Thanks for reminding me of that."

"Perfect." Byleth said, stunned that Sothis's idea had worked, "Let's go." she said, as they stepped into the endless cloud of fog in front of them.

* * *

_The little orphan boy sought to blend inside the new world he had entered. He snuck around, found a washroom, and washed his face for the first time in what felt like forever. His gray bangs remained unkempt as ever, but there was nothing he could do about that. So, he snuck around the kitchen, tied on a small apron, and innocently smiled at the occasional passerby, hoping to appear like any normal servant boy. He rarely ever disguised himself this way, but in a large, noble house with security, blending in was a better option._

_From there, he grabbed a broom and tirelessly swept, hoping to find his way to the valuables room. That was easy enough. Sure, there was a lock, but once again, that was hardly a problem for him._

_When he entered the room, he was astounded to see the sheer number of priceless golden treasures that were kept inside. He gently closed the door and wandered into the room, examining his clear, freckled face in the reflective metal._

_He had his sack in his back pocket, ready to snatch everything away._

_Still, he couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt as he started placing the smaller ones in his brown sack with his skinny arms._

_He knew how precious the golden ornaments were. He knew how much time must have gone into creating them. He knew how irreplaceable they must be to the Gaspard family._

_He KNEW that he shouldn't be stealing._

_But what else was he supposed to do, when he had two small mouths besides his own to feed? It wasn't like honest work was going to help them. Stealing food or reselling nobles' valuables was the only way he could help get them the food they needed._

_Minutes went by. His little sack became filled with golden bracelets and silver jewelry. By selling any one of those items, he'd be able to make more than enough to feed his family for a while._

_Soon, the sack was filled, and the deed was finished. It was time to make his daring escape. So, he opened the window, the cold Faerghus breeze brushing against his freckled face. With his small hands, he lugged the sack onto his back._

_And that's when something caught his eye… something that he couldn't resist staring at: a thick fairy tale book lying on a book stand. On its cover was a picture of a gallant knight riding a horse._

_Even though he couldn't read a single word, he couldn't help but childishly giggle as he flipped through the pages, searching for any pictures. He found plenty. One showed the majestic knight saving a maiden, while another showed him protecting children from a group of bandits…_

_He just couldn't stop looking._

_Knights… they were so noble and just. How he wished to become one himself._

* * *

Seconds after Ashe reluctantly fired his arrow, the soldier in front of him collapsed at his and Byleth's feet. Byleth, who was carrying the torch, grabbed his hand again as they charged through the fog of chaos.

Ashe continued to look at Byleth and couldn't help but admire her calmness, even now. Just looking at her calmly fighting, he already felt that, somehow, they were actually going to make it out of this mess.

Just next to his ear, he heard a handful of men rush through the fog. Within seconds, Byleth handed him the torch and started sending each of them to the ground. She used a number of different tactics: she kicked dirt into their eyes, struck at them with her sword, she jabbed their stomachs, she tripped them… she clearly had everything under control.

And Catherine was as formidable as people had described. With one swift strike from her legendary weapon, knights across her view were struck, shocked with an electrical current, and knocked unconscious.

Ashe thought that he couldn't contribute remotely as much, but he still did his best to provide them assistance from the back, carefully shooting arrows when he knew it wouldn't hit either of them.

Then, by some miracle… the fog cleared.

Byleth and Catherine quickly exchanged glances.

"It looks like the mage managing the fog was defeated." Catherine said with a smirk, "You're a smart one, aren't ya!" she yelled.

"Oh, I'm no one special." Byleth timidly responded as she forcefully kicked another soldier to the ground.

Ashe set his bow down and looked around.

A second later, he stopped.

He stopped because he saw _him_.

* * *

" _Ahem."_

_The orphan boy froze in his place. With the book still in his clutches, he turned around, his face pale with horror. In front of him was a luxuriously dressed, middle-aged man with a white hair and a mustache, standing tall, his arms folded._

" _I certainly did not expect to see small children trying to steal my family's treasures in the middle of the night like this. After all, it's rather cold outside. You don't even have proper pants on."_

_The boy glanced down at his quivering, bare knees. He nervously laughed. "Y-yeah, it's not something I could afford, for me or…"_

_The man folded his arms. "Or?"_

" _Or my siblings, Sir. It's just me and my sister and brother." he said with a nervous laugh, "It's hard enough to feed 3 mouths as is! But adding clothes on top of that is…"_

_The man furrowed his eyebrows. "Where are your parents?"_

" _They are dead, Sir. Of illness. My siblings and I were on the streets soon after." the orphan boy shyly mumbled, this time tears streaming down his cheeks, "Please, Sir! Don't kill me! I'm all they have, if they don't have me, then they… they… I don't know what would happen to them. They have nowhere to go. They just have me."_

" _Tell me, something, boy. Do you know who I am?"_

* * *

"LONATO!" Ashe screamed, sprinting towards him.

"The fog has cleared! The Goddess will see you all now!" Lord Lonato was bellowing to his foes, while menacingly waving his lance around, "There's nothing left to hide you or the filthy Central Church from all you have done!"

Ashe rushed over to him, looking at him with horror. When their eyes met, Ashe could sense a small pang of regret appear on his face. "Stand down, Ashe," he said, his voice quivering, "I must destroy these evil-doers by any means necessary!"

"Please surrender, Lonato! Whatever your reason for doing this, we can still talk it out!" Ashe frantically pleaded.

"Rhea is an infidel who has deceived the people and desecrated the goddess! We have virtue and the goddess herself on our side! Please, Ashe, you must understand my side!"

"Even if all that's true, dragging the townsfolk into it like this isn't right!" Ashe responded, tears streaming down his cheeks, "Please, Lonato… you're the closest person to a father- no, you _are_ my father now! I know how much you are in pain because of Christophe's death, and it hurts me to see you like this, but-"

"You don't understand Ashe," Lonato cut in, his voice quivering, "For Christophe's sake, I cannot stop here!"

"Would Christophe want you throwing your life away before the Knights of Seiros? Would he want us fighting against each other?" he desperately asked.

"Enough!" Lonato tearfully yelled, his voice quivering. Then, with great hesitation, he lifted his lance, "If that is how you feel, then so be it. Prepare yourself! I'm putting an end to this!"

* * *

" _It's a time to put an end to this, boy." the noble sternly told him, "One day, it's stealing a loaf of bread. Next, it's selling a noble's valuables. And then what? Will you find a group of bandits to associate with? If you do that, then you certainly won't be able to guarantee your siblings' safety anymore. Believe me, I've heard far too many stories."_

_The orphan stared down at the book in shame. His lips quivered._

" _Did you like the book?" the noble asked him._

_The boy looked up at him in surprise. "O-Oh, I thought it was very thrilling. The knight is a true and just hero… much more than I could be, anyway. If only I knew what it said…"_

" _Do you… not know how to read?"_

" _No, Sir." the boy said with a shy laugh, "If I did, though, I would read this book from front to back."_

* * *

"Alright! We've cleared the enemies in this area, from front to back!" Catherine panted while scanning the area, "They all just came right for us. Or, maybe their main target was me."

Byleth looked at the fallen soldiers in front of her in silence. "I'm sorry." she said after a pause, "I'm genuinely sorry."

Catherine put her hands on her hips. "Such is battle. But you already know that, don't you?"

The young woman looked down and shook her head. "Perhaps. But it hurts every time. Right, Ashe?"

Silence.

She looked behind her shoulder, only to find that no one was there. "Ashe?" she said louder, with a small quiver in her voice.

"Up there!" Catherine yelled, pointing behind her, "Ashe is facing his father!"

Byleth spun around, her face paled. Indeed, Ashe was there, his bow shaking as Lord Lonato raced towards him on his mount.

"FIRE, ASHE! FIRE!" Byleth screamed as she ran towards him.

Instead, Ashe's bow fell to his side.

He didn't fire.

Byleth closed her eyes.

_Rewind._

Byleth and Catherine were close to defeating their enemies when Byleth suddenly yanked Catherine away.

"Hey- what are you doing?!" Catherine yelled.

"There's no time! Ashe is in trouble! Leave them and come with me!" Byleth screamed, running as fast as she could in Ashe's direction.

* * *

" _Please, Lord Lonato, Sir…" the boy pleaded on his knees, "Everyone has spoken of your kindness and generosity, and I know I shouldn't take advantage of that. But if you let me go, then I swear not to trespass on this property ever again."_

_The noble opened his mouth. But instead of yelling at the boy, he yelled, "Manfred!" at the door._

_The door opened, revealing a small, plump man in a formal, butler suit, "Yes, Sir._

" _Call my son Christophe. You and he will be taking this young man-Ashe, I believe- to find his siblings and bring them back to the Gaspard residence." Lonato ordered, This will be their new home."_

_The boy's head jerked up, his eyes wide as dinner plates. "But… but, Sir…"_

" _And you!" Lonato quickly cut him off. "I imagine that you, as a thief, can stay up easily into the night."_

" _Y-yes, that's true, sir."_

" _Well then. Prepare for your first reading lesson, boy." he said, before adding a small chuckle, "Any child of the Gaspard house must learn how to read. Do you not think so?"_

* * *

Ashe slowly lowered his weapon and closed his eyes. He couldn't do it. He couldn't kill his own father.

"ASHE! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

He looked up, only to see Byleth dashing towards him. She crashed into him, and the two of them fell towards the ground, far out of Lonato's reach.

A sharp pain shot through his spine.

* * *

Byleth quickly lifted herself off of Ashe, whose eyes were closed. "O-oh my, are you okay? Ashe?!" she frantically cried out whilst forcefully shaking his shoulders, "ASHE! SPEAK TO ME!"

" _Do not tell me that YOU are the one who kills him instead!"_ Sothis angrily grumbled.

Much to the girls' relief, the boy's eyelids twitched. He groaned while pulling himself back up. But then, as he opened his eyes, they quickly filled with despair.

For that was the very moment when Lonato fell.

* * *

_The boy's eyes sparkled. "S-son? You mean… I'm… YOUR son now?"_

_The noble heartily laughed and ruffled his matted hair. "Of course! You are now Ashe Ubert Gaspard. … My son."_

* * *

Without hesitation, he jumped up and raced towards him. "Lord Lonato! Lonato! I…"" he called, before finally crying out, "FATHER! I'M COMING, FATHER!"

Byleth bit her lip and looked down, reluctantly following him. She stopped where Catherine was, who was shaking her head.

"I never thought I'd see Lonato see his fate." she said, before turning to Byleth, "I'll find His Highness and check in with the other knights and students. If you can keep him company…"

Byleth nodded. "Of course." she said.

* * *

Ashe sobbed helplessly over his father's body.

Then, as he heard footsteps, his head slowly jerked up. Misty as his view was, he could still see Byleth, standing behind him.

"He's gone, Byleth." he tearfully murmured, "He's gone."

Expecting to hear reassuring words, he looked back at her. However, he didn't get any. Instead, he got an embrace…

An embrace in which he cried….

And cried…

And cried…

* * *

**As always, a special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter!**

**And thank YOU for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. :)**

**If you like--feel free to leave a review, I'd love to hear from you!**


	22. A Chat With The Leader

After Ashe left to find his siblings, Byleth went to check on a large cut she received on her left arm. During battle, someone had cut through her sleeve and into her skin, giving her a bright red, flesh gash. It stung terribly, so much so that she clutched her arm tightly in pain.

She knew she needed medical attention, so she marched towards one of the healers, hoping to be examined. However, when she arrived at the healers' tents, she saw how busy they were. The healers and their staff were frantic, rushing to heal the countless soldiers lined up before them.

Byleth quickly walked away.

It was fine. She could always come back later.

And so she walked, grasping her wounded arm, hoping that the stinging would cease. At the very least, she hoped for a distraction from the pain…

Soon enough, she found one: Dimitri.

He stood still in front of the battlefield silently, his bright, blonde bangs flying in the wind. Byleth's lips tightened. She quietly inched towards the young prince until she was a few feet away, hoping that he would invite her to come closer.

As Byleth inched closer, she saw the gruesome sight he was staring at. She saw the fallen soldiers lifelessly sprawled out across the grass, with the scent of blood wafting up into her nose. But as horrific as the scene was, it was also nothing she was unfamiliar with.

Finally, he turned to look at her. When their eyes met, any nervousness Byleth had previously felt approaching him melted away. His shoulders slumped with ease. He was comfortable now, and so was she.

Byleth marched to his side and stood with him silently. He offered her a weak smile, but it was soon replaced by a solemn stare, for he was once again focused on the battle they just came from. His lips trembled. He kept his face turned down. He was ashamed, and Byleth could see that.

Byleth leaned over to him. "Dimitri… you don't seem well." she spoke in a low voice.

"I… I still can't get over it." The prince shakily whispered, his hands trembling.

"Get over… putting down the rebellion?" she asked him.

"I…. killed them." he shakily continued, his nose wrinkling in disgust at himself, "I've _killed_ the very same people I've sworn to protect with my life. … What… what have I done, Byleth?"

Byleth looked away thoughtfully. She remembered her father and his fellow mercenaries always telling her that battles and death were inevitable, and that she needed to get used to it. It was a truth she didn't wish to accept, but maybe that was what he needed to hear. After all, Sothis had called her the calm one. And if she could help Ashe by being calm, then maybe she could help Dimitri too. "This is the reality of any battle, Dimitri," she finally stated, "If you're going to face more battles, you're going to have to get used to things like this."

 _Perfect. That's the advice he needs to hear._ She thought, as she anticipated his warm smile.

However, much to her surprise, that smile didn't come. Instead, his eyes were filled with anger. "Are you insane?! Those weren't just knights or soldiers, but parents and children! How can I get used to that?!" he snapped, startling her. Then, his anger seemed to fade, being replaced by desperation. "I… we… we _shouldn't_ have killed them. We should have found another way…" his voice trembled.

Byleth bit her lip and remained quiet. That was not the advice he needed to hear, then.

She understood how he felt, though. After all, she had never fully internalized that philosophy herself.

Everyone she had been around told her to get used to battle, and to killing… and in a way, she was used to it. She had been training to fight for as long as she could remember, and she had clearly fought enough battles to make a name for herself.

She was a demon, really.

But after Dimitri looked at her again, his frustration quickly dissipated. "Ah, I'm… I'm really sorry for lashing out like that. Please, forgive me." he sheepishly insisted with a quick bow.

Byleth blushed. "Huh? Oh. No, no. I see how my comment could be insensitive. That's just something I heard from my father growing up, so I thought it could help… but, it was not helpful, I see. Not at all."

Dimitri let out a tired sigh. "Ah, but it was. Your father is right, really. Having to kill is the reality of battle. … No matter how much I hate to admit that."

Byleth pursed her lips together as the prince looked away.

He continued. "I know that it is necessary sometimes. I know that if we hadn't… well, done what we did, even more civilian lives would have been lost. … At least, my mind understands that. But…"

Byleth watched him brush his hand over his chest, over his heart.

She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with a hint of hope and curiosity. "What does your heart tell you to do?"

"Well… those in power claim they fight for a just cause. That they take a life to protect that cause. But is it truly okay to take any life you please, all in service of some ideal? Just look at Lord Lonato. " he said, gesturing to the field, "Lord Lonato didn't take up arms for power. He simply believed his cause was just. And who's to say it wasn't? Maybe we didn't have to cut him down like that. Maybe we could have reached a mutual understanding… found a path of peace."

Byleth stared blankly at him for a moment.

Dimitri sheepishly laughed, evidently abashed, with a hint of red appearing on his cheeks. "I know, I know. It's a silly thought. I really do know that always having diplomatic solutions is probably a laughable notion, or merely lip service to naive ideals. I really do. But even so…"

"Even so, you can never stop trying." Byleth calmly finished, "None of us should ever stop trying."

Upon hearing her words, Dimitri's lips curved into a warm smile. "We cannot, no." he gently replied.

For a moment, they stared at each other. Heavy as that moment was, Byleth felt… lighter, somehow.

The prince offered another smile to her.

His smiles made her happy. She knew that much.

"Heh… we should probably be heading back. I know Dedue is probably searching for me somewhere."

Byleth blinked twice and looked down at her arm. "Oh, right. I also still have to go find a healer…"

The prince's eyes widened. "You… you're… you're injured?!" he frantically began, "Where does it hurt?"

"Oh, it's really not a big deal," Byleth replied, "It's hardly anything to worry about. There's this cut on my arm…"

"Nonsense." Dimitri quickly insisted, as he gestured for her to follow. "I would be beside myself if you continued to be in pain. We have to find a healer immediately."

"No, I can seriously wait. Here, you can see just how small it is, I'll show you…" Byleth lifted her arm close to her face, revealing the large tear in her sleeve. "See, it's just right…" she started, as her fingers made their way across the patch of skin that was there.

But aside from feeling a few particles of dirt and her own skin, Byleth felt… nothing. Confused, she pulled on the hole in her sleeve to get a better look.

And when she did, she stared in utter disbelief.

Because curiously enough, everything else there made sense. There was still dried blood on her skin. There were specs of dirt on her skin. But the cut itself was…

Gone.

Where did her wound go?

* * *

"Finally! Here it is!" Claude proudly announced in the vacant Golden Deer classroom.

In front of him were the Golden Deer members, waiting as their house leader rummaged his hand through his pockets. Claude proudly whipped a piece of paper in front of them. On it was a large stick figure with horns on top, a rectangle for a body. In the figure's hand was what appeared to be a large… axe. Maybe.

Bennett threw his head back and leaned back in his chair, both unimpressed and… just confused.

Initially, Bennett wasn't going to come to this meeting. After all, he had been trying to avoid Claude ever since he saw him practicing with his sword.

But Claude still found his ways to find him… because unfortunately for Bennett, Claude only lived two doors down. So, the house leader made it his business to sneak notes under the boy's door to communicate with him. Most of those notes had been trivial things like, " _Can you bring me cake if you grab some for yourself? Thanks!_ " and " _You should be thankful you don't live next to Lorenz. My door always smells like perfume because of him._ "

But that morning, he received a different note: " _Edelgard will be back tomorrow, so I'm meeting her after class. I'm sure she'd looooove to see your face. Hint hint._ "

And Bennett was stupid enough to fall for that. Of course Edelgard wasn't back yet. None of the Black Eagles were, but he had been so desperate to see her, to actually impress her, that he actually believed the note. But no. Instead, he was holding up a terrible drawing.

Bennett looked around and saw that everyone was just as baffled as he was. They all sat there in silence.

"Ah don' geddit." Raphael finally announced, his mouth full of chicken.

"Oh. Well, you see, this is supposed to be the Death Knight, based on accounts of people stationed at the front of the monastery." Claude explained, "It was sorta hard to depict in this drawing, but his body is actually covered with this dark armor, and he's got these big horns on his head."

Bennett squinted at the drawing. "What's in his hand?" he asked.

"I… think… that's a spoon." Raphael stated, clearly baffled, "Claude, is this guy a chef or somethin'?"

"No, the Death Knight is not a chef. … As far as we know anyway." Claude replied with a large sigh, "Look, I know I'm not the best artist, but at least I'm trying."

"Well, you haven't done a very good job with that drawing, or leading this conversation. Once again, I think that you are unfit to be a leader." Lorenz soundly remarked. He brushed away his purple bangs before fixing the ostentatious rose on his chest. Then, with his curved nose held high, he picked up his cup of warm tea. "Perhaps you should leave the leadership of the Alliance to someone else, if you can't handle it. Someone such as Holst, or my father… or even myself!"

Claude's smile tightened. "Ya know, Lorenz, thanks for your suggestion, but I think I'm perfectly fine actually. Thanks, though!" he quickly said before hurriedly moving on, "Now, we've heard that he's taken out the guards at the front, but he disappeared when more reinforcements showed up. So, my guess is that he wants to get inside. But… for what? Or for whom?"

"These nonsensical questions are irritating me." Lorenz cut in again, "Don't you have anything better to do than this? You should be studying to become the head of House Riegan, not focusing on some 'Death Knight'. The Knights of Seiros have this case already covered, after all."

Bennett could see the frustration crawling up to Claude's face. His flickering smile, his dimmed eyes… he was clearly having a hard time leading this conversation, and he wasn't likely to get very far if Lorenz continued to disapprove.

Bennett closed his eyes. He still found this meeting unnecessary, especially since the Church seemed to have the Death Knight situation under control. Still, for some strange reason, watching Claude be rebuked constantly by Lorenz made him want to help him out. So, he would this time. After all, what did he have to lose?

"I mean… the Death Knight could be after someone in this monastery, if he keeps coming back… do you think he could be after you, Lorenz?" Bennett hesitantly asked.

As soon as those words left his mouth, he couldn't help but cringe. What was he doing, playing along with this nonsense?

Upon hearing Bennett's words, Claude paused, then visibly perked up once again with a smug look on his face. He could take it from here. "Right, right! Actually, back when I was in House Riegan, I did happen to hear somewhere that a major assassin might be after the heir to the almighty Gloucester house." he said. He could barely hold back from laughing when he noticed Lorenz's long face pale. "But that was just a rumor, and Lorenz is right. The Knights of Seiros _do_ have it under control. And if that's the case, then perhaps we should adjourn-"

"Wait!" Lorenz desperately called out, "Let's… er… let us not jump to conclusions, shall we? After all, I _am_ important enough to be kidnapped and held for ransom. S-so, perhaps this conversation should...er… continue."

Bennett covered his mouth, which was curving into a smile. And it was at that moment that Claude and Bennett made eye contact, both men amused at the noble's words. Claude silently nodded, a gesture which Bennett hesitantly returned.

The house leader clapped his hands together. "Alright, perfect! Let's talk about your potential… _Gloucester_ assassin then, alright?" the house leader said, before whipping out his sketch again, "So, this is what I got: Horns, bulky armor, probably rides on horseback, and he has a scythe."

Hilda squinted at the drawing. "That's a _scythe_? I thought that was a spoon!"

"Wait… it's not a giant spoon? Aw man…" Raphael chimed in, visibly disappointed at this sudden realization. "Having a villain who loved food would've been so neat. I could've told my sister all about it!"

Lorenz shook his head. "Hopeless, I tell you. Can you not find a better artist?"

Bennett looked at Ignatz and noticed the detailed sketch of a mountain right beneath his sleeve. He smiled and nudged the artist. "Hey, I know you can draw. Do you think that you can construct a better image for Claude?"

The boy fixed his glasses, his eyes lit up with interest. "What's that? You want me to… to draw for you?"

"Yeah. You're really good at it." Bennett replied.

Claude let out a laugh. "Calm down, Ignatz! It's just one drawing. But yeah, pal, if you can do that for me, then that would be fantastic. We need a guy on horseback with bulky armor, and horns, and two big holes for his eyes too. And he's carrying a scythe, so be sure to have that down too." he said before sliding the paper in his direction.

"But what is he even trying to get into this monastery for?" Hilda asked, her round, pink eyes wide with bewilderment, "If he really wanted Lorenz, then he could just wait until he goes back home. He could just attack him while he's on his travels."

Lorenz's lips quivered. "I must inform my father at once. We'll have to have more security measures for me to arrive back home safely." he frantically whispered.

Claude stroked his chin. "True…"

"Hilda has a point." Lysithea chimed in, "Garreg Mach is heavily guarded. For him to attack now means that he either needs to capture them right away, or that they're less guarded at Garreg Mach than they would be wherever they return to…"

Bennett raised his eyebrows. "More guarded at Garreg Mach… so you think it might be someone like Edelgard or Dimitri, do you?" he asked her.

"I think so," Lysithea replied, "I'd imagine that Dimitri would be safer back in his own country. The same with Edelgard… and maybe other powerful nobles, like Claude, or maybe even Hilda."

"Me?" Hilda asked, surprised, "Why would they be after me? I'm not the heir to anything."

"Well, your family is the only one keeping the Almyrans from invading Fodlan, right?" the mage inquired, "A sound tactical move might be to take you and hold you for ransom."

Claude sighed and shook his head.. "Ah… Look at you, coming up with these crazy, tactical theories! Aren't you a little young for all of that?"

"You'd better watch yourself, Claude. Say one more thing about my age, I dare you..." Lysithea hissed as her eyes narrowed.

"Quite right, Lysithea," Lorenz quickly chimed in, "Those Almyran scoundrels would do anything to take over our land, I am sure. And I am quite certain they would stoop to such low tactics. Do you not agree, Hilda? Your family has experience with them, after all."

Hilda paused thoughtfully and pressed her dainty finger to her lips. "Hmm… well, my father and brother _have_ told me that they are bad people. And my entire family has told me stories about them. They told me about how violent they were, and how they break treaties and tell lies… Everyone says they're just a bunch of brutes."

Bennett bit his lip and folded his arms. Of course, no one from the Golden Deer would know what Almyrans were like. From what he heard, Fodlan and Almyra had been sworn enemies for centuries. And because of that, it was only natural that everyone would form warped opinions on the foreigners.

But Bennett had traveled all over the world with his father and sister, for mercenary work. He had traveled to Duscur, Dagda, Brigid… and, yes, Almyra as well. So, he knew what they were all like.

They weren't brutes. They were just regular people.

"So, it's settled!" Lorenz declared, "We must protect Hilda from this Almyran Death Knight fellow."

"No, it's not settled. We have to consider all the possibilities," Claude protested, his smile having completely disappeared, "Are you really just going to blame Almyra every time you don't know who the criminal is?"

"I dunno, Claude… Almyrans are bad people. They want to hurt us." Hilda told him, "I know how open minded you are, and I really love that about you, but I hear scary things about them all the time! I'd avoid them if I were you."

Claude raised his eyebrows. "You really know them, huh?"

"Well… yeah, from what I've been told." Hilda started, "But if you know better, then don't mind me. I'm just babbling, really."

Claude pulled away, and Bennett eyed him closely. Initially, he was beyond disinterested to be here, but to see the carefree house leader so shaken up about the talk of Almyrans… intrigued him. He would not have expected that from House Riegan, that was for sure.

Claude's irritation didn't last long, however. Within seconds, he gave a tightened smile. "Nah, you're right," he finally said with a small laugh, "Silly me."

"Silly… silly… me _._ "

* * *

It was midnight at Garreg Mach.

By this point, most of the students were asleep in their rooms.

Still, that night, there was one forlorn boy still strolling around the halls, still mulling over his friends' recent discussion.

Claude was not at all concerned that he would wake anyone up. He was quite used to treading lightly just about anywhere he went, as it was what he would do to avoid waking up his half siblings from their sleep.

And he would never want to wake them up.

Because when he did, they would get mad.

Really, _really_ mad.

But it was all normal to him. Claude had the unfortunate burden of being a mixed child, after all. More specifically, he had the unfortunate burden of being part Fodlanic, part coward. And when that coward was the heir to the Almyran throne, he was bound to make many enemies.

Claude had been hopeful that things would be different in Fodlan. His grandfather had instructed him to keep his identity a secret, but he had still been hopeful that Fodlanic people were more open minded than the Almyrans. He had hoped that both sides of his heritage would be accepted, and that he could really be who he was here.

But he was wrong. It was exactly the same in Fodlan as it had been in Almyra, and he had just seen that again in his own group meeting, a meeting that had nothing to do with the Almyrans.

Fodlaners and Almyrans claimed to be completely different people. And in many ways, they _were_ different. They had different foods, different traditions, different clothes…

But they had one thing in common, and that was how much they hated each other.

Claude clenched his fist at the very thought. Why did the world have to be so divided? Was there really no other way for Fodlan and Almyra to peacefully coexist?

" _Ahem_."

The house leader jerked his head up. And much to his surprise, leaning against the wall was Bennett. The young mercenary was watching him, a serious expression on his face.

Claude raised his eyebrows as he approached him. "I didn't expect to see you here." he said with a knowing smirk, "I knew you'd come to tell me off for that Edelgard prank."

"No, I'm not here for that… currently." he solemnly replied.

Claude frowned. "Something else? Huh. Well then, what do you need from me? "

"Well, let's start here." Ben stated, "Why don't you tell me where you're really _from_?"

* * *

**Special thanks to Abracadoozles on fanfiction.net for editing this chapter.**

**Thanks for reading!**


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